 Today it is recognized that different matrix proteins influence cell adhesion, cell growth and migration, tissue morphology and signal transduction in specific and decisive ways.Chiquet-Ehrismann contributed pioneering work on the tenascin gene family of matricellular proteins, of which some members were discovered, cloned and sequenced by her group.Different tenascins have related domain organisations and their 3-6 subunits oligomerize into star-like structures ("hexabrachion").