The Structure and Function of Cartilage Proteoglycans
Genetics Unit, Shriners Hospital for Children and Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
European Cells and Materials Vol. 12. 2006 (pages 92 - 101).
Cartilage contains a variety of proteoglycans that are essential for its normal function. These include aggrecan, decorin, biglycan, fibromodulin and lumican. Each proteoglycan serves several functions that are determined by both its core protein and its glycosaminoglycan chains. This review discusses the structure/function relationships of the cartilage proteoglycans, and the manner in which perturbations in proteoglycan structure or abundance can adversely affect tissue function.
Key Words: Proteoglycan, aggrecan, link protein, hyaluronan, decorin, biglycan, fibromodulin, lumican, cartilage.