Glypican 6 (GPC6)

The glypicans comprise a family of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored heparan sulfate proteoglycans. The glypicans have been implicated in the control of cell growth and division. Glypican 6 is a putative cell surface coreceptor for growth factors, extracellular matrix proteins, proteases and anti-proteases. Like all glypicans, GPC6 starts and terminates with signal peptide-like sequences. The N-terminal sequence is predicted to be required for membrane translocation, and the C-terminal sequence supports the temporary membrane anchoring and subsequent glypiation of the protein. A motif that promotes the assembly of heparan sulfate in proteoglycans is also found at the C-terminal end. Northern blot analysis revealed ubiquitous expression of GPC6 in all fetal and nearly all adult tissues, with the exception of thymus and peripheral blood leukocytes.