EPHA3
Description
The EPHA3 (EPH receptor A3) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 3.
EPH receptor A3 (ephrin type-A receptor 3) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the EPHA3 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. This gene encodes a protein that binds ephrin-A ligands. Two alternatively spliced transcript variants have been described for this gene. EPH receptor A3 has been shown to interact with EFNB2 and EFNA5.
EPHA3 is a receptor tyrosine kinase that binds to ephrin family ligands on adjacent cells, triggering contact-dependent bidirectional signaling. This signaling, known as forward signaling downstream of the receptor and reverse signaling downstream of the ephrin ligand, is crucial for various developmental processes. EPHA3 exhibits a strong preference for ephrin-A ligands, especially EFNA5. Upon activation by EFNA5, EPHA3 regulates cell adhesion, cytoskeletal organization, and cell migration. It plays a critical role in cardiac cell migration and differentiation, contributing to the formation of the atrioventricular canal and septum during development. Notably, EPHA3 is implicated in the retinotectal mapping of neurons and may also control the segregation of motor and sensory axons during neuromuscular circuit development.
EPHA3 is also known as EK4, ETK, ETK1, HEK, HEK4, TYRO4.
