Perlecan is a multifaceted heparan sulfate proteoglycan that is expressed not only as an
intrinsic constituent of basement membranes but also as a cell-surface and pericellular
proteoglycan. Perlecan functions as a ligand reservoir for various growth factors that
become stabilized against misfolding or proteolysis and acts as a co-receptor for basic
fibroblast growth factor by augmenting high affinity binding and receptor activation. These
biological properties are mediated by the heparan sulfate moiety. Rather little is known …