Fibulin proteins contribute to normal development of elastic fiber systems in various types of organs that require elasticity, such as vasculature, lung and skin. Fibulin-5 (EVEC, UP50, DANCE) is an integrin-binding extracellular matrix protein that mediates endothelial cell adhesion. Fibulin-5 is also a calcium-dependent elastin-binding protein that scaffolds cells to elastic fibers, thereby preventing elastinopathy in the skin, lung, and vasculature. The Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) motif in Fibulin-5 interacts with cell surface integrins avb3, avb5 and a9b1, serves as an anchorage for elastic fibers to cells, and promotes organization of elastic fibers. The human Fibulin-5 gene maps to chromosome 14q32.12 and encodes a 488 amino acid protein.
