Cardiovascular Research Advance Access first published online on February 27, 2009
This version [Corrected Proof] published online on March 19, 2009
Cardiovascular Research, doi:10.1093/cvr/cvp080
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Tetraspanins and vascular functions


1 Vascular Biology Center of Excellence, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, H300 Coleman Building, 956 Court Avenue, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
2 Center for Cancer Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 220 Cancer Research Building, 19 South Manassas Street, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
3 Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, H300 Coleman Building, 956 Court Avenue, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
4 Department of Molecular Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, H300 Coleman Building, 956 Court Avenue, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
* Corresponding authors. Tel: +1 901 448 3448 or +1 901 448 8240; fax: +1 901 448 7181, E-mail address: xazhang{at}utmem.edu or ljennings{at}utmem.edu
Tetraspanins are multiple membrane-spanning proteins that likely function as the organizers of membrane microdomains. Tetraspanins associate with other membrane-bound molecules such as cell-adhesion proteins, growth factor receptors, and Ig superfamily members and regulate key cellular processes such as adhesion, migration, and fusion. Tetraspanins are widely expressed in vascular and haematopoietic cells and are involved in both physiological and pathological processes related to angiogenesis, vascular injury, thrombosis, and haemostasis. A wide body of evidence suggests that tetraspanins directly regulate the development and functions of the vascular system and the pathogenesis of vascular diseases. This article reviews current understanding of the roles of tetraspanins in vascular functions.
KEYWORDS Tetraspanins; CD9; CD151; CD63; Vascular system; Smooth muscle cells; Endothelial cells; Platelets
Time for primary review: 18 days
These authors made equal contribution to this article.