Promotes cell proliferation, chemotaxis, angiogenesis and cell adhesion. Appears to play a role in wound healing by up-regulating, in skin fibroblasts, the expression of a number of genes involved in angiogenesis, inflammation and matrix remodeling including VEGA-A, VEGA-C, MMP1, MMP3, TIMP1, uPA, PAI-1 and integrins alpha-3 and alpha-5 (By similarity). CCN1-mediated gene regulation is dependent on heparin-binding (By similarity). Down-regulates the expression of alpha-1 and alpha-2 subunits of collagen type-1 (By similarity). Promotes cell adhesion and adhesive signaling through integrin alpha-6/beta-1, cell migration through integrin alpha-1/beta-5 and cell proliferation through integrin alpha-v/beta-3 (By similarity). Interaction with integrins is heparin- and cell-type-dependent and promotes cell adhesion. Low in kidney, adrenal gland, testes, brain, and ovary, moderate in heart, uterus, and skeletal muscle, highest in lung. Expressed from G(0)/G(1) through mid-G(1) in normal cells, and at a constant level in rapidly growing cells. By growth factors. Belongs to the CCN family.