VCAN-homozygous mutant embryos lacking all VCAN isoforms die by 10.5 days of gestation because of immature vasculature (33), suggesting the requirements of VCAN and its isoforms for vascular development.VCAN-V1 and its proteolytic fragment versikine are involved in the angiogenesis and metastasis of various cancers (31, 34–36). The gene discussed is VCAN; the disease is cancer.