Description
Tetranectin, also called TNA, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CLEC3B gene. It is mapped to 3p21.31. Tetranectin, a tetrameric protein isolated from human plasma, has 4 identical and noncovalently bound polypeptide chains, each of 181 amino acid residues. It has a specific binding affinity for sulfated polysaccharides and the kringle 4 of plasminogen. The plasma concentration of tetranectin is reduced in patients with various malignancies. Tetranectin is a plasminogen-binding protein that is induced during the mineralization phase of osteogenesis. Thus, tetranectin is a candidate gene for human disorders affecting bone and connective tissue