Fibronectin
Protein involved in cell adhesion, cell growth, cell migration and differentiation / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Fibronectin?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Fibronectin is a high-molecular weight (~500-~600 kDa)[5] glycoprotein of the extracellular matrix that binds to membrane-spanning receptor proteins called integrins.[6] Fibronectin also binds to other extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen, fibrin, and heparan sulfate proteoglycans (e.g. syndecans).
Fibronectin exists as a protein dimer, consisting of two nearly identical monomers linked by a pair of disulfide bonds.[6] The fibronectin protein is produced from a single gene, but alternative splicing of its pre-mRNA leads to the creation of several isoforms.
Two types of fibronectin are present in vertebrates:[6]
- soluble plasma fibronectin (formerly called "cold-insoluble globulin", or CIg) is a major protein component of blood plasma (300 μg/ml) and is produced in the liver by hepatocytes.
- insoluble cellular fibronectin is a major component of the extracellular matrix. It is secreted by various cells, primarily fibroblasts, as a soluble protein dimer and is then assembled into an insoluble matrix in a complex cell-mediated process.
Fibronectin plays a major role in cell adhesion, growth, migration, and differentiation, and it is important for processes such as wound healing and embryonic development.[6] Altered fibronectin expression, degradation, and organization has been associated with a number of pathologies, including cancer, arthritis, and fibrosis.[7][8]