Abstract
Tenascin-C is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein that is specifically and transiently expressed upon tissue injury. Upon tissue damage, tenascin-C plays a multitude of different roles that mediate both inflammatory and fibrotic processes to enable effective tissue repair. In the last decade, emerging evidence has demonstrated a vital role for tenascin-C in cardiac and arterial injury, tumor angiogenesis and metastasis, as well as in modulating stem cell behavior. Here we highlight the molecular mechanisms by which tenascin-C mediates these effects and discuss the implications of mis-regulated tenascin-C expression in driving disease pathology.
© The Author(s) 2011. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Review
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Atherosclerosis / genetics
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Atherosclerosis / metabolism
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Atherosclerosis / pathology
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Gene Expression Regulation
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Humans
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Mice
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Myocardial Infarction / metabolism
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Myocardium / metabolism
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Myocardium / pathology
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Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / metabolism
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Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / pathology
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Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / physiology
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Neoplasms / diagnosis
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Neoplasms / metabolism
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Neoplasms / pathology
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Neoplastic Stem Cells / metabolism
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Neoplastic Stem Cells / pathology
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Neovascularization, Pathologic / metabolism
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Neovascularization, Pathologic / pathology
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Rats
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Stem Cells / metabolism
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Stem Cells / pathology
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Tenascin / blood
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Tenascin / chemistry
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Tenascin / physiology*
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Vascular Diseases / metabolism
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Vascular Diseases / pathology
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Wound Healing / physiology