Latent Transforming Growth Factor Beta Binding Protein 3 (LTBP3)

TGF-beta molecules are secreted in the form of latent large molecular mass complexes that contain other proteins, such as LTBP1. There is evidence that these binding proteins modulate TGF-beta bioavailability. See Oklu and Hesketh (2000) for a review of the LTBP gene family.Yin et al. (1995) cloned a novel mouse gene, designated Ltbp3, isolated because of structural similarities to fibrillin . Its 4.6-kb transcript was found to encode a protein sequence related to LTBP1.Li et al. (1995) assigned the human and mouse LTBP3 loci (called LTBP2 and Ltbp2 by them) to regions of conserved synteny on human chromosome 11 and mouse chromosome 19. By PCR analysis of somatic cell hybrid DNA and FISH, the genes were mapped to human 11q12 and mouse chromosome 19B.