What is "glypican"

n. (context biochemistry English) Any of a family of heparan sulfate proteoglycans, anchored to the cell surface via a covalent linkage to glycosylphosphatidylinositol.

Glypicans constitute one of the two major families of heparin sulfate proteoglycans, with the other major family being syndecans. Six glypicans have been identified in mammals, and are referred to as GPC1 through GPC6. In Drosophila two glypicans have been identified, and these are referred to as dally (division abnormally delayed) and dally-like. One additional glypican has been identified in C. elegans. Glypicans seem to play a vital role in developmental morphogenesis, and have been suggested as regulators for the Wnt and Hedgehog cell signaling pathways. They have additionally been suggested as regulators for fibroblast growth factor and bone morphogenic protein signaling.