Kubota Satoshi, Takigawa Masaharu
Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Dentistry.
Clin Calcium. 2006 Mar;16(3):486-92.
CCN family is a novel family of proteins consisting of several modulator molecules. The members display a variety of physiological and pathological functions ; hence they are currently attracting the interest of a number of biologists. In terms of the development and regeneration of cartilage tissues, CCN2/connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is best known among the CCN family members, since it efficiently promotes endochondral ossification and articular cartilage regeneration. Recently, it has been uncovered how CCN2 gene expression is duly regulated along with the differentiation of chondrocytes, which is uncovering the genetic program leading to cartilage tissue development. Moerover, production of other members, such as CCN1 and CCN4, are occasionally observed in chondrocytes, suggesting the contribution of the entire CCN family members to the developmental process of cartilage in vivo.
CCN家族是一个由几种调节分子组成的新型蛋白质家族。其成员具有多种生理和病理功能；因此，它们目前吸引了许多生物学家的关注。就软骨组织的发育和再生而言，CCN2/结缔组织生长因子（CTGF）在CCN家族成员中最为人所知，因为它能有效促进软骨内成骨和关节软骨再生。最近，人们发现了CCN2基因表达如何随着软骨细胞的分化而得到适当调节，这揭示了导致软骨组织发育的遗传程序。此外，在软骨细胞中偶尔会观察到其他成员如CCN1和CCN4的产生，这表明整个CCN家族成员对体内软骨发育过程有贡献。
