EPHA7
Description
The EPHA7 (EPH receptor A7) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 6.
Ephrin type-A receptor 7 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the EPHA7 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.
EPHA7, also known as Ephrin type-A receptor 7, is a receptor tyrosine kinase that binds to GPI-anchored ephrin-A family ligands on neighboring cells. This interaction triggers bidirectional signaling, known as forward signaling (from receptor to cell) and reverse signaling (from ligand to cell). EPHA7 interacts specifically with EFNA5, a cognate ligand, to regulate brain development. This interaction modulates cell-cell adhesion and repulsion, influencing axon guidance, particularly in the corticothalamic and retinal pathways. EPHA7's activity also includes repelling axons and potentially regulating brain development through proapoptotic activity mediated by caspase (CASP3). Forward signaling activates components of the ERK signaling pathway, including MAP2K1, MAP2K2, MAPK1, and MAPK3, which are phosphorylated upon EPHA7 activation.
EPHA7 is also known as EHK-3, EHK3, EK11, HEK11.
