title: Functions of Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans in Development: Insights From Drosophila Models.
abstract: Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are a class of carbohydrate-modified proteins involved in key biological processes, including growth factor signaling, cell adhesion, and enzymatic catalysis. HSPGs serve as coreceptors for a number of ligand molecules to regulate their signaling and distribution. These HS-dependent factors include fibroblast growth factors, bone morphogenetic proteins, Wnt-related factors, hedgehog, and cytokines. Several classes of HSPGs are evolutionarily conserved from humans to the genetically tractable model organism Drosophila. Sophisticated molecular genetic tools available in Drosophila provide for a powerful system to address unanswered questions regarding in vivo functions of HSPGs. These studies have highlighted the functions of HSPGs in the regulation of significant developmental events, such as morphogen gradient formation, nervous system formation, and the stem cell niche. Drosophila genetics has also established HSPGs as key factors in feedback controls that ensure robustness in developmental systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States; Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: nakat003@umn.edu.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakato
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: J-P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004330:Drosophila / Q000378:metabolism*; D053673:Glypicans / Q000378:metabolism; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D023421:Models, Animal; D053667:Syndecans / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D053673:Glypicans; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans; D053667:Syndecans; C071927:perlecan
keywords: Drosophila; heparan sulfate proteoglycan; morphogen; stem cell niche