Invoking the power of thrombospondins: Regulation of thrombospondins expression

• TSPs are highly expressed in embryo, tissue injury and remodeling, inflammation and immune response, and aging.
• Expression patterns suggest distinct specific functions for each TSP.
• Expression of TSPs is tightly regulated at several molecular levels.
• Experimental regulation of TSPs expression modulates physiological and pathological processes dependent on TSPs.

Increasing evidence suggests critical functions of thrombospondins (TSPs) in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. With the growing understanding of the importance of these matricellular proteins, the need to understand the mechanisms of regulation of their expression and potential approaches to modulate their levels is also increasing. The regulation of TSP expression is multi-leveled, cell- and tissue-specific, and very precise. However, the knowledge of mechanisms modulating the levels of TSPs is fragmented and incomplete. This review discusses the known mechanisms of regulation of TSP levels and the gaps in our knowledge that prevent us from developing strategies to modulate the expression of these physiologically important proteins.