Tenascins, a growing family of extracellular matrix proteins.

摘要: The tenascins are a family of large multimeric extracellular matrix proteins consisting repeated structural modules including heptad repeats, epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like fibronectin type III and globular domain shared with the fibrinogens. believed to be involved in morphogenesis many organs tissues. To date three members tenascin have been described, tenascin-C, tenascin-R, tenascin-X. Tenascin-R seems specific for central peripheral nervous system, tenascin-X is most prominent skeletal heart muscle, while tenascin-C present number developing tissues but absent muscles. Tenascin-C was original discovered, partly because its overexpression tumors. Inferring from cell biological studies, it has proposed that an adhesion-modulating protein.