CSPG4 and thyroid gland carcinoma: As shown in (Fig. 3F), the levels of Ki-67, p-Erk, phosphorylated Akt T308 (p-AKTT308), phosphorylated Akt S473 (p-AktS473) were obviously unchanged in tumor tissues between Thy-Ng2−/−; BrafCA and Thy-Ng2+/+; BrafCA mice; however, the levels of phosphorylated Fak (p-FAK) were significantly decreased in tumor tissues of Thy-Ng2−/−; BrafCA mice compared with Thy-Ng2+/+; BrafCA mice, suggesting that NG2 may contribute to the metastatic phenotypes of thyroid cancer cells.