The small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) family has significantly expanded in the past
decade to now encompass five discrete classes, grouped by common structural and
functional properties. Some of these gene products are not classical proteoglycans, whereas
others have new and unique features. In addition to being structural proteins, SLRPs
constitute a network of signal regulation: being mostly extracellular, they are upstream of
multiple signaling cascades. They affect intracellular phosphorylation, a major conduit of …