TENASCIN C Meaning and
Definition
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Tenascin C is a glycoprotein that belongs to the extracellular matrix (ECM) family of proteins. It is primarily found in embryonic tissues and is highly expressed during tissue development, wound healing, and pathological conditions such as inflammation and cancer.
The protein's name, Tenascin C, is derived from its structure and biological activity. "Tena" stands for the protein's ability to bind to other ECM molecules, such as collagen and fibronectin, while "scin" refers to its role in cell adhesion. It is structurally composed of multiple distinct domains, including fibronectin type III repeats and EGF-like repeats. These domains allow Tenascin C to interact with various receptors and modulate cell signaling pathways.
Tenascin C plays diverse roles in tissue homeostasis and repair. It is involved in cell migration, proliferation, and differentiation, and influences tissue architecture during development. Moreover, it regulates inflammation by modulating immune cell recruitment and activation. In pathological contexts, Tenascin C has been implicated in promoting tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis. High levels of Tenascin C expression are often associated with poor prognosis in various cancers.
In summary, Tenascin C is an abundant extracellular matrix protein involved in tissue development, wound healing, and disease progression. Its diverse functions in cell adhesion, signaling, and inflammation make it a key regulator of tissue homeostasis and pathological conditions.
Common Misspellings for TENASCIN C
- renascin c
- fenascin c
- genascin c
- yenascin c
- 6enascin c
- 5enascin c
- twnascin c
- tsnascin c
- tdnascin c
- trnascin c
- t4nascin c
- t3nascin c
- tebascin c
- temascin c
- tejascin c
- tehascin c
- tenzscin c
- tensscin c
- tenwscin c
- tenqscin c
Etymology of TENASCIN C
The word "Tenascin C" is derived from the combination of two components: "tenascin" and the letter "C".
1. Tenascin: The term "tenascin" refers to a family of extracellular matrix glycoproteins. It was coined by Rolf Chiquet and Jack Foidart in 1981. They chose the name "tenascin" because the protein was found in high amounts in tendons, and the Latin word "tenere" means "to hold". This reflects the role of tenascin in providing structural support and stability to tissues.
2. C: The letter "C" in "Tenascin C" stands for "Cytotactin", which is the former name for tenascin C. Initially, the protein was named "Cytotactin" because it was observed to influence cell movement and exhibit cellular adhesive properties.
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