Biosynthesis and Fibrillogenesis

Abstract

FN is a large and complex glycoprotein with extensive intramolecular and intermolecular disulfide bonding (Chapter 6). It is both a secreted protein and a fibrillar matrix protein (Chapter 4) and in the latter situation, interacts with other macromolecules. The production and secretion of FN and the formation of FN-rich matrices are, therefore, complex problems of some intrinsic interest. In addition, these processes are all potentially sites of regulation and/or perturbation of FN structure and function, e.g., during normal cellular growth and differentiation (Chapters 10 and 11), oncogenic transformation (Chapter 12), or inflammatory processes (Chapter 14). In this chapter I will discuss the processes of synthesis, posttranslational modification, secretion and fibrillogenesis of FN, and some aspects of the regulation of these processes in cultured cells.