Tenascin in the developing and adult human intestine

The tenascins are a family of multifunctional extracellular matrix glycopro teins subject to complex spatial and temporal patterns of expression in the course of various organogenetic processes, namely those involving epitheli al-mesenchymal interactions. In the intestine, the tenascins, in particular tenascin-C, have been found to be differentially expressed in the developi ng and adult small intestinal and colonic mucosa as well as in neoplasm. Wh ile tenascin-C emerges as a key player likely to be involved in intestinal mucosa development, maintenance and disease, its exact role in the regulati on of fundamental intestinal cell function(s) such as proliferation, migrat ion and tissue-specific gene expression remains however to be established.