Publication: The role of dystroglycan, a novel receptor of laminin and agrin, in cell differentiation
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Date
1997
Authors
Matsumura, K. ; Yamada, H. ; Saito, F. ; Sunada, Y. ; Shimizu, T.
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Publisher
Murcia : F. Hernández
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DOI
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info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Description
Abstract
Dystroglycan was originally identified as the
extracellular and transmembrane constituents of a large
oligomeric complex of sarcolemmal proteins associated
with dystrophin, the protein product of the Duchenne
muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene. During the last few
years, dystroglycan has been demonstrated to be a novel
receptor of not only laminin but also agrin, two major
proteins of the extracellular matrix having distinct
biological effects. The fact that the drastic reduction of
dystroglycan in the sarcolemma, caused by the absence
of dystrophin, leads to muscle cell death in DMD
patients and mdx mice indicates that, as a laminin
receptor, dystroglycan contributes to sarcolemmal
stabilization during contraction and stretch of striated
muscle cells. Dystroglycan is also expressed in the
neuromuscular junction and non-muscle tissues such as
kidney, brain and peripheral nerve, and, as a receptor of
lamininlagrin, has been implicated in such diverse and
specific developmental processes as epithelial
morphogenesis, synaptogenesis and myelinogenesis.
These findings point to the fundamental role of
dystroglycan in the cellular differentiation process
shared by many different cell types. In this paper, we
review the recent publications on the biological
functions of dystroglycan and discuss its roles in cell
differentiation.
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