MUC21
MUC21 (mucin 21, cell surface associated) is a large membrane-bound, O-glycosylated glycoprotein of the mucin family. It contributes to protective mucous barriers on epithelial surfaces and is also known as bCX31G15.2 or C6orf205. Browse Assay Genie's current range of MUC21 research reagents below, or read on for the biology behind the target.
MUC21 is a member of the mucin family, a group of O-glycosylated proteins that play an essential role in forming protective mucous barriers on epithelial surfaces. As a membrane-bound mucin, MUC21 sits at the cell surface, where it contributes to this barrier function. Mucins as a class are also described as playing a role in intracellular signalling.
The MUC21 protein has a modular architecture: an N-terminal signal sequence, an extracellular mucin domain, a stem domain, a transmembrane domain and a C-terminal cytoplasmic tail. The mucin domain carries the O-glycosylation sites and is polymorphic. Isoforms differ in the number of non-identical, proline-, threonine- and serine-rich tandem repeats, each of 15 amino acids, so the length of the extracellular region varies between alleles.
The MUC21 gene is classified by HGNC within the mucins gene group and was previously designated chromosome 6 open reading frame 205 (C6orf205). Aberrant expression of the gene is associated with lung adenocarcinoma, which makes MUC21 a point of interest for researchers studying epithelial surface glycoproteins and their alterations in cancer. Related membrane and secreted mucins, such as MUC4 and MUC13, are often studied alongside it for comparison.
Mucins are O-glycosylated proteins that form protective mucous barriers on epithelial surfaces, so MUC21 is relevant to studies of surface protection.
Aberrant MUC21 expression is associated with lung adenocarcinoma, making it a candidate for investigating changes in mucin expression in tumours.
The polymorphic mucin domain carries O-glycosylation sites and variable 15-amino-acid tandem repeats, offering a model for studying glycoprotein diversity.
Mucins are reported to play a role in intracellular signalling, and MUC21 has a transmembrane region and cytoplasmic tail relevant to this question.
MUC21 is a membrane-bound mucin. Mucins are O-glycosylated proteins that help form protective mucous barriers on epithelial surfaces, and they are also described as playing a role in intracellular signalling. MUC21 has an extracellular mucin domain, a transmembrane domain and a cytoplasmic tail.
MUC21 is the HGNC symbol for mucin 21, cell surface associated, and the protein is listed as Mucin-21. Aliases include bCX31G15.2 and C6orf205. The previous HGNC name was chromosome 6 open reading frame 205. The gene is a member of the mucins group.
According to the NCBI Gene summary, aberrant expression of MUC21 is associated with lung adenocarcinoma. The mucin domain is also polymorphic, with isoforms containing variable numbers of 15-amino-acid tandem repeats. Check the datasheet of any product for its validated reactivity.
Other membrane-bound and secreted mucins that contribute to epithelial barriers, with products at Assay Genie.
Gene and protein annotations from HGNC, NCBI Gene and UniProt Q5SSG8; product specifications from Assay Genie datasheets.