Aggrecan Proteins and Enzymes

Aggrecan belongs to the chondroitin sulfate (CS) proteoglycan family, which also includes Versican, Brevican, and Neurocan. Each Aggrecan molecule contains approximately 100 and 30 keratan sulfate and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) sidechains, respectively. Aggrecan non-covalently associates with hyaluronan via the link modules and an Ig domain in its N-terminus. It is the most abundant proteoglycan in cartilage, and contributes to the load-bearing capacity of this tissue.