PODN (podocan) is a small leucine-rich repeat protein that functions as a negative regulator of cell proliferation and migration 1. The protein operates through multiple signaling pathways including Wnt/β-catenin, TGF-β, and Akt/mTOR to suppress cell proliferation and promote cell differentiation 1. PODN is regulated by microRNA-3180-5p, which targets PODN to promote smooth muscle cell proliferation via the cdk2 signaling pathway 2. The protein is expressed in various tissues including the cardiovascular system, smooth muscle, and renal podocytes 1. PODN has significant clinical relevance as a potential biomarker in multiple diseases. It shows altered expression patterns in various cancers including gastric cancer, where hypermethylated PODN is part of a six-gene signature associated with overall survival 3, and bladder cancer, where it contributes to tumor microenvironment classification for predicting immunotherapy response 4. The protein is also implicated in reproductive biology, being correlated with egg-laying rate and egg weight in transgenerational studies 5, and in trophoblast cell adhesion during embryo implantation 6. Additionally, PODN appears in proteomic profiles of patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy treated with anti-VEGF therapy 7.