Matrilin family is a non-collagenous extracellular matrix protein family. They are mainly expressed in bone and cartilage, and participate in the formation of extracellular matrix. Mutations of them can contribute to multiple epiphyseal dysplasia, osteoarthritis, and so on. Many signaling pathways modulate the extracellular matrix indirectly by regulating the expression of Matrilins. Matrilins may be markers of cells with high potency of differentiation and proliferation. Matrilin-4 was reported recently only expressed in odontoblast but not in pulp tissue. It may be related to the formation and mineralization of dentin, dentinogenesis imperfecta and so on.
