1. Noun. (protein) A glycoprotein associated with dystrophin ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Medical Definition of Dystroglycan
1. Complex composed of two proteins and dystroglycans (formerly known as 156DAG and 43DAG / A3a respectively) derived from a single precursor by proteolytic cleavage. Dystroglycan is a transmembrane protein that associates with dystrophin in the cytoplasm and dystroglycan, an extracellular glycoprotein, on the exterior face. Dystroglycan binds to merosin, thus linking actin through dystrophin and dystroglycan to the extracellular matrix. Also associates with sarcoglycan. Dystrophin deficiency leads to a deficiency in the appearance of these proteins on the sarcolemma, even though they are not themselves defective.
This entry appears with permission from the Dictionary of Cell and Molecular Biology
(11 Mar 2008)
