Category: Glycoconjugate

  • Testican

    Testican is a type of proteoglycan. Testican-1 is a highly conserved, multidomain proteoglycan that is most prominently expressed in the thalamus, and is upregulated in activated astroglial cells of the cerebrum. Several functions of this gene product have now been demonstrated in vitro including membrane-type matrix metalloproteinase inhibition, cathepsin L inhibition, and low-affinity calcium binding. The purified gene product has been shown to inhibit cell attachment…

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  • Keratocan (KTN)

    Keratocan (KTN) also known as keratan sulfate proteoglycan keratocan, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the KERA gene. Keratan sulfate proteoglycans (KSPGs) are members of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) family. KSPGs, particularly keratocan, lumican and mimecan, are important to the transparency of the cornea. Mutations of the gene cause cornea plana 2. Cornea plana 2(CNA2) causes the cornea to flatten and the angle between the sclera and cornea to shrink. This…

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  • Lumican aka LUM

    Lumican, also known as LUM, is an extracellular matrix protein that, in humans, is encoded by the LUM gene on chromosome 12. Structure Lumican is a proteoglycan Class II member of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) family that includes decorin, biglycan, fibromodulin, keratocan, epiphycan, and osteoglycin. Like the other SLRPs, lumican has a molecular weight of about 40 kilodaltons and has four major intramolecular domains: There are four N-linked sites within…

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  • Keratan sulfate (KS) aka keratosulfate

    Not to be confused with Keratin. Keratan sulfate (KS), also called keratosulfate, is any of several sulfated glycosaminoglycans (structural carbohydrates) that have been found especially in the cornea, cartilage, and bone. It is also synthesized in the central nervous system where it participates both in development and in the glial scar formation following an injury. Keratan sulfates are large, highly hydrated molecules which in joints can act as a cushion to…

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