title: Syndecans: multifunctional cell-surface co-receptors.
abstract: This review will summarize our current state of knowledge of the structure, biochemical properties and functions of syndecans, a family of transmembrane heparan sulphate proteoglycans. Syndecans bind a variety of extracellular ligands via their covalently attached heparan sulphate chains. Syndecans have been proposed to play a role in a variety of cellular functions, including cell proliferation and cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion. Syndecan expression is highly regulated and is cell-type- and developmental-stage-specific. The main function of syndecans appears to be to modulate the ligand-dependent activation of primary signalling receptors at the cell surface. Principal functions of the syndecan core proteins are to target the heparan sulphate chains to the appropriate plasma-membrane compartment and to interact with components of the actin-based cytoskeleton. Several functions of the syndecans, including syndecan oligomerization and actin cytoskeleton association, have been localized to specific structural domains of syndecan core proteins.
authors.affiliation: Henry Hood, M.D., Research Program, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Sigfried and Janet Weis Center for Research, Geisinger Clinic 26-13, 100 Academy Avenue, Danville, PA 17822, USA.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Carey
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D006497:Heparan Sulfate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D053667:Syndecans
chemical_list: D006497:Heparan Sulfate; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011509:Proteoglycans; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D053667:Syndecans