Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans in the Brain

Publisher Summary Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) play important roles in the morphogenesis and maintenance of various tissues, including the central nervous system (CNS), through the interactions of their core proteins and/or chondroitin sulfate (CS) chains with cell adhesion molecules, extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules, and growth factors. This chapter discusses the functions of CSPGs in the neurogenetic, developing, and mature CNS, focusing on molecular interactions. It also discusses the roles of CSPGs in perineuronal nets (PNNs) found in the mature brain. The results obtained using gene‐targeting technology in the studies of brain‐specific CSPGs, such as neurocan, phosphacan, and neuroglycan C, are described in the chapter. However, CSPGs are also involved in the pathology of neuronal diseases and lesions. The expression of CSPGs is upregulated in glial scars formed in response to injuries to the mature CNS and at increased levels, CSPGs are generally considered to inhibit axonal regeneration in the CNS. The chapter describes the response of the immature CNS to neuronal degeneration in terms of the expression of brain‐specific CSPGs. CSPGs can act as functional molecules in the CNS at all stages of development under both physiological and pathological conditions.