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.
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October 1997
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Review Article|
October 01 1997
Syndecans: multifunctional cell-surface co-receptors
David J. CAREY
David J. CAREY
1Henry 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, U.S.A.
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Online ISSN: 1470-8728
Print ISSN: 0264-6021
The Biochemical Society, London © 1997
1997
Biochem J (1997) 327 (1): 1–16.
Citation
David J. CAREY; Syndecans: multifunctional cell-surface co-receptors. Biochem J 1 October 1997; 327 (1): 1–16. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/bj3270001
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