CCN proteins in health and disease

The CCN family of genes currently comprises six secreted proteins (designated CCN16 i.e., Cyr61/CCN1; ctgf/CCN2; Nov/CCN3; WISP1/CCN4; WISP2/CCN5, and WISP3/CCN6) showing a strikingly conserved primary structure, with four modules sharing partial identity with IGF binding proteins, Von Willebrand protein, thrombospondin and several matricellular proteins and growth factors. The current view is that CCN proteins modulate signaling pathways that involve regulatory components of the extracellular m