Thrombospondins: multifunctional regulators of cell interactions.
Thrombospondins are secreted, multidomain macromolecules that act as regulators of cell interactions in vertebrates. Gene knockout mice constructed for two members of this family demonstrate roles in the organization and homeostasis of multiple tissues, with particularly significant activities in the regulation of angiogenesis. This review discusses the functions of thrombospondins with regard to their cellular mechanisms of action and highlights recent advances in understanding how multifactorial molecular interactions, at the cell surface and within extracellular matrix, produce cell-type-specific effects on cell behavior and the organization of matrix and tissues.
Adams
J C
JC
MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom. dmcbjca@ucl.ac.uk
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000502:physiology; D002450:Cell Communication; D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D019699:Thrombospondins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014166:Transferases; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D019699:Thrombospondins; D014166:Transferases; C064995:comP protein, Bacillus subtilis