Background of the antigen
SPARC (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine) is a phosphorylated, acidic, glycine-rich glycoprotein that is secreted by endothelial cells and is present in large amounts in the parietal endoderm of mouse embryos and in human placenta. SPARC-like protein 1 (SPARCL1), also known as high endothelial venule protein (Hevin) or MAST9, is a 664 amino acid member of the SPARC family of proteins. Highly expressed in lymph node, heart, lung, brain, skeletal muscle, ovary, colon and small intestine, SPARCL1 is a secreted protein that contains one EF-hand domain, one follistatin-like domain and one Kazal-like domain. SPARCL1 is implicated to play a role in neuronal remodeling and tumor suppression. The gene encoding SPARCL1 maps to chromosome 4q22.1.
