BCAN
BCAN (brevican, also known as BEHAB and CSPG7) encodes a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan of the lectican family that is specifically expressed in the central nervous system. It is thought to contribute to the brain extracellular matrix during development. Browse Assay Genie's current range of BCAN research reagents below, or read on for the biology behind the target.
BCAN, or brevican core protein, is a member of the lectican family of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans. It is specifically expressed in the central nervous system and is developmentally regulated. UniProt annotation indicates that it may play a role in the terminally differentiating and the adult nervous system during postnatal development, and that it could stabilise interactions between hyaluronan (HA) and brain proteoglycans. NCBI Gene summarises its likely function as contributing to the formation of the brain extracellular matrix.
The BCAN gene encodes a protein that belongs to the aggrecan/versican proteoglycan family. HGNC classifies it within the hyalectan proteoglycans, and also as a V-set domain, Sushi domain and C-type lectin domain containing gene. The protein is found as a secreted component of the extracellular matrix, and a membrane-associated form is also annotated. Alternate splicing of the gene results in multiple transcript variants. Mouse and rat orthologs are both designated Bcan.
Brevican is also known by the aliases BEHAB and CSPG7. Beyond its role in neural matrix biology, BCAN is highly expressed in gliomas, where it may promote the growth and cell motility of brain tumour cells. This makes the brevican protein a point of interest for researchers studying both normal brain development and glioma biology.
BCAN is developmentally regulated and may act in the terminally differentiating and adult nervous system during postnatal development.
As a lectican proteoglycan, brevican may function in forming the brain extracellular matrix and could stabilise hyaluronan interactions with brain proteoglycans.
BCAN is highly expressed in gliomas and may promote the growth and cell motility of brain tumour cells.
Brevican belongs to the aggrecan/versican family, making it a useful subject for comparing chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans of the hyalectan group.
BCAN encodes brevican, a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan expressed specifically in the central nervous system. It may function in forming the brain extracellular matrix and could stabilise interactions between hyaluronan and brain proteoglycans during postnatal nervous system development.
BCAN is also known as brevican, BEHAB, CSPG7 and MGC13038, and its protein is called brevican core protein in UniProt. Alternate splicing of the gene results in multiple transcript variants, so check the datasheet of any product for its validated reactivity and isoform coverage.
BCAN is highly expressed in gliomas and may promote the growth and cell motility of brain tumour cells. Orthologs exist in mouse and rat, both named Bcan, which allows comparable studies in rodent models of nervous system development.
Other lectican proteoglycans, hyaluronan-binding extracellular matrix proteins and brain matrix targets with products at Assay Genie.
Gene and protein annotations from HGNC, NCBI Gene and UniProt Q96GW7; product specifications from Assay Genie datasheets.