“…Given its widespread distribution [124,125] and its ability to interact with various molecules perlecan regulates various biological processes. Either via the protein core or the heparan sulfate chains, perlecan binds other ECM components as laminin, fibronectin and ECM1 and several growth factors including Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 (FGF-1), FGF-2, FGF-7, FGF-9 and FGF-18, FGF-binding protein, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGF), Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF), activin A, VEGF and progranulin [126,127,128,129,130,131,132]. The central role of perlecan in angiogenesis has been demonstrated by several independent studies and in various in vitro and in vivo models [133,134,135].…”