Syndecan Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans: Regulation, Signaling and Impact on Tumor Biology
Virtually all animal cells express heparan sulfate proteoglycans on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix. Syndecans are a major group of transmembrane proteoglycans functioning as receptors that mediate signal transmission from the extracellular microenvironment to the cell. Their heparan sulfate chains, due to their vast structural diversity, interact with a wide array of ligands incl