title: The biological roles of heparan sulfate proteoglycans in the nervous system.
abstract: The multiple species of HSPGs within the nervous system have a variety of functions. These include roles in ECM assembly and a contribution from synaptic vesicles to synaptic cleft matrix. Since the Alzheimer beta-protein precursor is structurally very similar to a HSPG, it is most certainly an ECM-associated protein. An outstanding question then is what role ECM plays in the genesis of Alzheimer's plaques.
authors.affiliation: Salk Institute for Biological Studies, San Diego, CA 92138-9216.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schubert
mesh_terms: D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000378:metabolism*; D006497:Heparan Sulfate / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009420:Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D006497:Heparan Sulfate; D011509:Proteoglycans