CDH12
Description
The CDH12 (cadherin 12) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 5.
The CDH12 gene in humans encodes a protein called Cadherin-12. This protein belongs to the cadherin superfamily, which includes integral membrane proteins responsible for calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion. Cadherins have a distinctive structure consisting of a large extracellular domain, a single transmembrane domain, and a small, conserved cytoplasmic domain. Cadherin-12 is classified as a type II cadherin due to the absence of a specific HAV sequence found in type I cadherins. This particular cadherin is expressed predominantly in the brain, suggesting its role during critical periods of neuronal development, possibly during synaptogenesis.
Cadherins are a family of cell adhesion proteins that rely on calcium for their function. They have a unique ability to bind to themselves in a process called homophilic interaction, which occurs between adjacent cells. This property contributes to the organization and sorting of different cell types during development.
CDH12 is also known as CDHB.
