EFNA3
EFNA3 (ephrin A3, also known as LERK3, Ehk1-L and EPLG3) is a cell surface, GPI-anchored ligand for Eph receptors. It takes part in contact-dependent bidirectional signalling between neighbouring cells during neuronal, vascular and epithelial development. Browse Assay Genie's current range of EFNA3 research reagents below, or read on for the biology behind the target.
EFNA3 is a cell surface ligand for Eph receptors, a family of receptor tyrosine kinases that are crucial for migration, repulsion and adhesion during neuronal, vascular and epithelial development. It is bound to the membrane through a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) linkage and binds promiscuously to Eph receptors on adjacent cells. This interaction produces contact-dependent bidirectional signalling into the neighbouring cells. Signalling downstream of the receptor is called forward signalling, while signalling downstream of the ephrin ligand is called reverse signalling.
The EFNA3 gene encodes a member of the ephrin family. Ephrins and Eph-related receptors make up the largest subfamily of receptor protein-tyrosine kinases. They have been implicated in mediating developmental events, especially in the nervous system and in erythropoiesis. On the basis of structure and sequence relationships, ephrins are divided into two classes. The ephrin-A (EFNA) class is anchored to the membrane by a GPI linkage, and the ephrin-B (EFNB) class consists of transmembrane proteins. The EFNA3 protein belongs to the EFNA class, and the mouse ortholog is Efna3.
EFNA3 is listed by HGNC in the ephrins gene group. It has also been described as ephrin-A3, LERK3, Ehk1-L and EPLG3, so literature searches for the EFNA3 gene or protein may turn up any of these names. Because EFNA3 works at cell-cell contacts and signals in both directions, it is a useful target for studying how ligand-receptor interactions guide tissue patterning.
Ephrin-A ligands and Eph receptors mediate developmental events, especially in the nervous system, where they influence cell migration, repulsion and adhesion.
Eph receptor signalling is crucial for migration, repulsion and adhesion during vascular and epithelial development, making EFNA3 relevant to tissue patterning studies.
EFNA3 binding to Eph receptors on adjacent cells triggers forward and reverse signalling, which makes it a model ligand for contact-dependent communication.
Ephrins and their receptors have been implicated in erythropoiesis, so EFNA3 is of interest to researchers studying developmental events in blood cell formation.
EFNA3 is a GPI-anchored cell surface ligand for Eph receptors. It binds receptors on adjacent cells and drives contact-dependent bidirectional signalling: forward signalling in the receptor-bearing cell and reverse signalling in the ephrin-bearing cell. These events support migration, repulsion and adhesion in development.
EFNA3 is the HGNC symbol for ephrin A3. Previous or alternative names include ephrin-A3, LERK3, Ehk1-L and EPLG3. UniProt lists the protein as Ephrin-A3, and it belongs to the ephrin family, in the ephrin-A (EFNA) class.
A mouse ortholog, Efna3, is recorded for the human gene. Eph receptors and ephrins are described as developmental signalling molecules, particularly in the nervous system. Check the datasheet of any product for its validated reactivity.
Other ephrin-A family ligands that bind Eph receptors and signal at cell-cell contacts.
Gene and protein annotations from HGNC, NCBI Gene and UniProt P52797; product specifications from Assay Genie datasheets.