The placental-derived growth factor (PIGF) is a dimeric glycoprotein showing a high degree of sequence similarity to the vascular endothelial growth factor. Alternative splicing of the PIGF primary transcript gives rise to two forms, named PIGF-1 and PIGF-2, which differ only in the insertion of a highly basic 21-amino acid stretch at the carboxyl end. The presence of the PIGF mRNA in thyroid, placenta, lung, and goiter has indicated the tissues where this factor functions. However, the role

Protein kinase C (PKC) is a family of serine- and threonine-specific protein kinases that can be activated by calcium and second messenger diacylglycerol. PKC family members phosphorylate a wide variety of protein targets and are known to be involved in diverse cellular signaling pathways. PKC family members also serve as major receptors for phorbol esters, a class of tumor promoters. Each member of the PKC family has a specific expression profile and is believed to play a distinct role in

Granulins are a family of secreted, glycosylated peptides that are cleaved from a single precursor protein with 7.5 repeats of a highly conserved 12-cysteine granulin/epithelin motif. The 88 kDa precursor protein, progranulin, is also called proepithelin and PC cell-derived growth factor. Cleavage of the signal peptide produces mature granulin which can be further cleaved into a variety of active, 6 kDa peptides. These smaller cleavage products are named granulin A, granulin B, granulin C, etc

The protein encoded by this gene is similar to oxidoreductases, which are enzymes involved in cellular responses to oxidative stresses and irradiation. This gene is induced by the tumor suppressor p53 and is thought to be involved in p53-mediated cell death. It contains a p53 consensus binding site in its promoter region and a downstream pentanucleotide microsatellite sequence. P53 has been shown to transcriptionally activate this gene by interacting with the downstream pentanucleotide micro

CD244 is expressed on all human NK cells, a subpopulation of T cells, basophils and monocytes. CD244 activates NK cell mediated cytotoxicity, induces secretion of IFN-gamma and matrix metalloproteinases, and NK cell invasiveness. Although there have been several molecules shown to interact with CD244, the signaling mechanism ofCD244-mediated activation of NK cells is still unknown. It is a high affinity receptor for CD48.

Fibrinogen is the main protein of blood coagulation system. It is a large protein and it consists of two identical subunits that contain three polypeptide chains: alpha, beta and gamma. All chains are connected with each other by a number of disulfide bonds. Fibrinopeptides A (1 to 16 amino acids) and B (1 to 17 amino acids) are released by thrombin from the N terminal parts of alpha and beta chains, respectively. In this way fibrinogen is converted into fibrin, which by means of polymeriza