Dermatan sulfate is a glycosaminoglycan

Glycosaminoglycan

Glycosaminoglycans or mucopolysaccharides are long unbranched polysaccharides consisting of a repeating disaccharide unit. The repeating unit consists of a hexose or a hexuronic acid, linked to a hexosamine .-Production:Protein cores made in the rough endoplasmic reticulum are posttranslationally...

 (formerly called a mucopolysaccharide) found mostly in skin

Skin

-Dermis:The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. The dermis is tightly connected to the epidermis by a basement membrane. It also harbors many Mechanoreceptors that provide the sense of touch and heat...

, but also in blood vessels, heart valves, tendons, and lungs.

It is also referred to as chondroitin sulfate B

Chondroitin sulfate

Chondroitin sulfate is a sulfated glycosaminoglycan composed of a chain of alternating sugars . It is usually found attached to proteins as part of a proteoglycan. A chondroitin chain can have over 100 individual sugars, each of which can be sulfated in variable positions and quantities...

, although it is no longer classified as a form of chondroitin sulfate by most sources.

Function

Dermatan sulfate may have roles in coagulation

Coagulation

Coagulation is a complex process by which blood forms clots. It is an important part of hemostasis, the cessation of blood loss from a damaged vessel, wherein a damaged blood vessel wall is covered by a platelet and fibrin-containing clot to stop bleeding and begin repair of the damaged vessel...

, cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease

Heart disease or cardiovascular disease are the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels . While the term technically refers to any disease that affects the cardiovascular system , it is usually used to refer to those related to atherosclerosis...

, carcinogenesis

Carcinogenesis

Carcinogenesis or oncogenesis is literally the creation of cancer. It is a process by which normal cells are transformed into cancer cells...

, infection

Infection

An infection is the colonization of a host organism by parasite species. Infecting parasites seek to use the host's resources to reproduce, often resulting in disease...

, wound repair, and fibrosis

Fibrosis

Fibrosis is the formation of excess fibrous connective tissue in an organ or tissue in a reparative or reactive process. This is as opposed to formation of fibrous tissue as a normal constituent of an organ or tissue...

.

Pathology

Dermatan sulfate accumulates abnormally in several of the mucopolysaccharidosis

Mucopolysaccharidosis

Mucopolysaccharidoses are a group of metabolic disorders caused by the absence or malfunctioning of lysosomal enzymes needed to break down molecules called glycosaminoglycans - long chains of sugar carbohydrates in each of our cells that help build bone, cartilage, tendons, corneas, skin and...

disorders.

An excess of Dermatan Sulfate in the Mitral Valve is characteristic of myxomatous degeneration of the leaflets leading to redundancy of valve tissue and ultimately, Mitral Valve Prolapse (into the Left atrium) and insufficiency. This chronic prolapse occurs mainly in women over the age of 60, and can predispose the patient to mitral annular calcification. Mitral valve insufficiency can lead to eccentric (volume dependent or dilated) hypertrophy and eventually Left Heart failure if untreated.