Dcn - decorin

This gene encodes a member of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) family of proteins. The encoded preproprotein is proteolytically processed to generate a mature protein product, which is secreted into the extracellular space to regulate collagen fibril assembly. Homozygous knockout mice for this gene exhibit enhanced tumorigenesis in a liver cancer model, and defects in collagen fibrils, leading to weakened skin and tendons. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Aug 2015]