Stromagen

Stromagen is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ADAMTS9 gene. It is a member of the ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs) protein family. ADAMTS family members share several distinct protein modules, including a propeptide region, a metalloproteinase domain, a disintegrin-like domain, and a thrombospondin type 1 (TS) motif.

Function

Stromagen is involved in the breakdown of the extracellular matrix, a critical process in the development of arthritis and cancer. It is also involved in angiogenesis, the process by which new blood vessels are formed.

Clinical significance

Mutations in the ADAMTS9 gene have been associated with genetic disorders such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a group of disorders affecting the connective tissues that support the skin, bones, blood vessels, and other organs and tissues.

See also

• ADAMTS
• Extracellular matrix
• Angiogenesis
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome