EPHA5
Description
The EPHA5 (EPH receptor A5) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 4.
EPH receptor A5 (ephrin type-A receptor 5) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the EPHA5 gene. This gene belongs to the ephrin receptor subfamily of the protein-tyrosine kinase family. EPH and EPH-related receptors have been implicated in mediating developmental events, particularly in the nervous system. Receptors in the EPH subfamily typically have a single kinase domain and an extracellular region containing a Cys-rich domain and 2 fibronectin type III repeats. The ephrin receptors are divided into 2 groups based on the similarity of their extracellular domain sequences and their affinities for binding ephrin-A and ephrin-B ligands.
EPHA5, a receptor tyrosine kinase, binds to GPI-anchored ephrin-A family ligands on neighboring cells, triggering bidirectional signaling. This contact-dependent signaling, referred to as forward signaling downstream of the receptor and reverse signaling downstream of the ephrin ligand, plays a crucial role in various developmental and cellular processes. EPHA5's interaction with EFNA5, its most probable cognate ligand, is involved in axon guidance during development, particularly in the development of the retinotectal, entorhino-hippocampal, and hippocamposeptal pathways. Furthermore, the EPHA5-EFNA5 interaction is implicated in synaptic plasticity in the adult brain by regulating synaptogenesis. Beyond its role in the nervous system, EPHA5, in conjunction with EFNA5, mediates communication between pancreatic islet cells to regulate glucose-stimulated insulin secretion.
EPHA5 is also known as CEK7, EHK-1, EHK1, EK7, HEK7, TYRO4.
