| Description: | Versican (chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 2) is a large extracellular matrix proteoglycan involved in cell growth and differentiation. Important as a structural molecule, versican creates loose and hydrated matrices during key events in development and disease. The protein contains hyaluronic acid and glycosminoglycan-binding domains, epidermal growth factor-like repeats, a Lectinlike sequence and a complement regulatory protein-like domain. Splice variants differ greatly in length anddegree of modification by glycoaminoglycan chains. Accumulation around smooth muscle cells in lesions of athero-sclerosis suggests a role for versican in atherogenesis. Versican, differentially expressed in human melanoma, plays a role in tumor development and may be a reliable marker for clinical diagnosis. The organization of HA- and versican-rich pericellular matrices may faciliatate migration and mitosis by diminishing cell surface adhesivity and affecting cell shape through steric exclusion and the viscous properties of HA proteoglycan gels. |
