Hyaluronan synthase 1 Products

Hyaluronan or hyaluronic acid (HA) is a high molecular weight unbranched polysaccharide synthesized by a wide varietyof organisms from bacteria to mammals, and is a constituent of the extracellular matrix. It consists of alternatingglucuronic acid and N-acetylglucosamine residues that are linked by beta-1-3 and beta-1-4 glycosidic bonds. HA issynthesized by membrane-bound synthase at the inner surface of the plasma membrane, and the chains are extrudedthrough pore-like structures into the extracellular space. It serves a variety of functions, including space filling,lubrication of joints, and provision of a matrix through which cells can migrate. HA is actively produced during woundhealing and tissue repair to provide a framework for ingrowth of blood vessels and fibroblasts. Changes in the serumconcentration of HA are associated with inflammatory and degenerative arthropathies such as rheumatoid arthritis. Inaddition, the interaction of HA with the leukocyte receptor CD44 is important in tissue-specific homing by leukocytes,and overexpression of HA receptors has been correlated with tumor metastasis. HAS1 is a member of the newly identifiedvertebrate gene family encoding putative hyaluronan synthases, and its amino acid sequence shows significant homologyto the hasA gene product of Streptococcus pyogenes, a glycosaminoglycan synthetase (DG42) from Xenopus laevis, and arecently described murine hyaluronan synthase. (provided by RefSeq)