Specific focus is placed on the members of the thrombospondin gene family.
The thrombospondins are extracellular calcium-binding proteins that bind to cell surface receptors including integrins and proteoglycans. Through these interactions, the thrombospondins regulate cellular proliferation, migration, differentiation and apoptosis. Members of the thrombospondin gene family are involved in angiogenesis, tumor progression, wound healing, and bone dysplasias. The laboratory uses biochemical, molecular biological and cell biological techniques to understand the function of the thrombospondins in these various disease states. In addition, genetic approaches including characterization of mutations in the human genome and the production of knockout mice are employed.