From Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells to Folliculogenesis: What About Vasorin?

First described in 1988, vasorin (VASN) is a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed during early mouse development, and with a less extent, in various organs and tissues (e.g., kidney, aorta, and brain) postnatally. Vasn KO mice die after 3 weeks of life from unknown cause(s). No human disease has been associated with variants of this gene so far, but VASN seems to be a potential biomarker for nephropathies and tumorigenesis. Its interactions with the TGF-β and Notch1 pathways offer the most serious assumptions regarding VASN functions. In this review, we will describe current knowledge about this glycoprotein and discuss its implication in various organ pathophysiology.