Extracellular proteins

Extracellular proteins" broadly refers to all proteins that are located outside cells, including but not limited to secreted signaling molecules (such as hormones and growth factors), enzymes (such as proteases), matrix and structural proteins (such as collagens, fibronectin, elastin), cell stress proteins (such as extracellular Hsp70 and Hsp60), and various components of extracellular vesicles[1][2][3][6][9]. They are involved in key biological processes such as intercellular communication, forming the extracellular matrix, regulating immune responses, and providing structural and biochemical support to tissues. Many extracellular proteins are important drug targets (for example, therapeutic monoclonal antibodies frequently target cytokines or receptors that reside outside the cell), but describing "extracellular proteins" as a single target is scientifically inaccurate and not useful for the purpose of drug discovery or structured data representation[1][4][7]. Because this entry is non-specific and can refer to hundreds or thousands of different proteins (with different roles, mechanisms, and therapeutic implications), it is incorrect to treat "extracellular proteins" as a single canonical target entity.

Other names

extracellular proteinsecreted proteinextracellular matrix proteinECPECM proteinextracellularly localized protein