Ras homolog gene family, member A (RhoA) and its downstream effector Rho-associated
protein kinase (ROCK) play important roles in multiple cellular processes, but abnormal …

Several recent in vitro investigations and experimental studies performed in animal models
of osteoarthritis (OA) sustained the previously held view that interleukin (IL)-1 or tumour …

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a 38 kDa, cysteine rich, extracellular matrix
protein composed of 4 domains or modules. CTGF has been shown to regulate a diverse …

Cartilage defects, most commonly caused by aging and degenerative disease, have
become the primary target of cartilage tissue engineering due to a lack of effective …

Oral Diseases (2011) 17, 733–744 Cleft palate, a malformation of the secondary palate
development, is one of the most common human congenital birth defects. Palate formation is …

The CCN proteins contain six members, namely CCN1 to CCN6, which are small secreted
cysteine-rich proteins. The CCN proteins are modular proteins, containing up to four …

Numerous studies have assembled a complex picture, in which extracellular stimuli and
intracellular signaling pathways modulate the chondrocyte phenotype. Because many …

Abstract Background Members of Rho-associated coiled-coil kinases (ROCKs) are effectors
of Rho family of small GTPases. ROCKs have multiple functions that include regulation of …

The acronym for the CCN family was recently revised to represent “cellular communication
network”. These six, small, cysteine‐enriched and evolutionarily conserved proteins are …

Objective CCN family protein 2/connective tissue growth factor (CCN2/CTGF) promotes
cartilage regeneration in experimental osteoarthritis (OA) models. However, CCN2 …