The immunofluorescence analysis of HSPG conducted in the same study revealed that heparan sulfate was abundantly deposited in the basement membrane of normal thyroid follicles and in benign follicular adenomas, but was absent in most thyroid papillary carcinomas, suggesting that HPSE has a functional role in the extracellular matrix. This evidence concerns the gene HPSE and differentiated thyroid carcinoma.