ESM1
Description
The ESM1 (endothelial cell specific molecule 1) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 5.
Endothelial cell-specific molecule 1 is a protein encoded by the ESM1 gene in humans. It is a secreted protein primarily expressed in endothelial cells of the lung and kidney. Its expression is regulated by cytokines, suggesting involvement in endothelium-dependent disorders. The transcript contains multiple polyadenylation and mRNA instability signals. The protein is also known as endocan, characterized as a dermatan sulfate proteoglycan. It acts as a specific biomarker for tip cells during neoangiogenesis, and its expression increases in the presence of pro-angiogenic growth factors like VEGF and FGF-2. Overexpression of endocan has been detected in hypervascularized cancers using antibodies against ESM-1.
ESM1 is also known as endocan.
