Pleiotrophin(Osteoblast-SpecificFactor-1,OSF-1)contains136aminoacidresidues.Thesequenceisveryrichincationicaminoacids(24%oftheresidues);lysineclustersequencesarefoundintheN-terminalandC-terminalendsofthestructure.
TheOSF-1genewasshownbyNorthernblottinganalysistobeexpressedinmousecalvarialosteoblast-enrichedcellsandinmousebraintissues,butnotinthymus,spleen,kidney,liver,lung,testisorheart.PleiotrophinhastheABIlitytopromoteadhesion,migration,expansion,anddifferentiationofhumanosteoProgenitorcells.Inadditiontocertaintypesofcancer,theembryonicgrowthanddifferentiationfactorpleiotrophinisfoundalsoinadultsininflammatorydiseases.Inosteoarthritis,pleiotrophinisespeciallyexpressedinearlystages,anditsconcentrationsinthesynovialfluidcouldserveasaMarkerfortheprogressofthedisease.Pleitrophinmightbeinvolvedincartilagerepairinosteoarthritis,inparticular,inearlierstages.

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