Thrombospondins as matricellular modulators of cell function.

摘要: Thrombospondins (TSPs) are a small family of secreted, modular glycoproteins whose functions, at mechanistic level, not well understood, despite increasing scrutiny in recent years. TSP1 and TSP2 form one subgroup trimers with chain molecular mass about 145 kDa. The pentameric TSPs 3–5 significantly smaller, subunit 100 kDa (1), their physiological roles probably distinct. This Perspective will concern itself TSP2.