Versican

Introduction to Versican

Collagen, found in various extracellular matrices, is the most abundant protein in the body. Collagens provide critical structural support to various tissues and also provide various cellular signals.

Versican Structure

There are over 20 types of collagen, but a typical collagen molecule is a long fibrous structure with three polypeptide chains wound around each other to form a triple-helix. These chains, which are more extended than alpha helices, are held together by H-bonds.

Collagen primary structure, which is usually around 1000 residues, follows a repeating sequence of Gly-X-Y, where X is often hydroxyproline and Y is often hydroxylysine. Glycine residues allow tight packing of the triple helix, while hydroxyproline stabilizes interchain H bonds.

Versican and Cancer