“…The thrombospondin (TSP) family of large ECM glycoproteins composed of five members (TSP1-TSP5), and among them, mutations in TSP-5 (or cartilage oligomeric protein, COMP) cause human pseudoachondroplasia and multiple epiphyseal dysplasia associated with early onset OA [26]. As the roles of other TSPs for articular cartilage homeostasis are less known, Maly and colleagues investigated the expression and localization of TSP-4 in healthy and osteoarthritic human knee articular cartilage [27].…”