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EFNs
Wednesday 1 June 2005
Ephrins are cell-surface tethered guidance cues that bind to Eph receptor tyrosine kinases (EPHs) in trans on opposing cells.
Members
| EFNAs | EFNA1 | EFNA2 | EFNA3 | EFNA4 | EFNA5 |
| EFNBs | EFNB1 | EFNB2 | EFNB3 |
Based on their structures and sequence relationships, ephrins are divided into the ephrin-A (EFNAs) class, which are anchored to the membrane by a glycosylphosphatidylinositol linkage, and the ephrin-B (EFNBs) class, which are transmembrane proteins.
The Eph family of receptors (EPHRs) are divided into 2 groups based on the similarity of their extracellular domain sequences and their affinities for binding ephrin-A (EPHAs)and ephrin-B ligands (EPHBs).
Developing nervous system
In the developing nervous system, the Eph-ephrin signaling system controls a large variety of cellular responses including contact-mediated attraction or repulsion, adhesion or de-adhesion, and migration.
Eph-ephrin signaling can be bidirectional, and is subject to modulation by ectodomain cleavage of ephrins and by Eph-ephrin endocytosis.
See also
EPHs (eprin receptors)
References
Egea J, Klein R. Bidirectional Eph-ephrin signaling during axon guidance. Trends Cell Biol. 2007 Apr 7; PMID: 17420126