Artemin
Encyclopedia
Artemin, also known as enovin or neublastin, is a protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...

 that in humans is encoded by the ARTN gene
Gene
A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...

.

Function

Artemin is a neurotrophin
Neurotrophin
Neurotrophins are a family of proteins that induce the survival, development, and function of neurons.They belong to a class of growth factors, secreted proteins that are capable of signaling particular cells to survive, differentiate, or grow. Growth factors such as neurotrophins that promote the...

 in the glial cell line-derived neurotophic factor (GDNF
Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor
Glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor, also known as GDNF is a protein that, in humans, is encoded by the GDNF gene.GDNF is a small protein that potently promotes the survival of many types of neurons.-Function:...

 ) family of ligands which are a group of ligands within the TGF-beta superfamily of signaling molecules. GDNFs are unique in having neurotrophic properties and have potential use for gene therapy in neurodegenerative disease. Artemin has been shown in culture to support the survival of a number of peripheral neuron populations and at least one population of dopaminergic CNS neurons. Its role in the PNS and CNS is further substantiated by its expression pattern in the proximity of these neurons. This protein is a ligand for the RET receptor
RET proto-oncogene
The RET proto-oncogene encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase for members of the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor family of extracellular signalling molecules....

 and uses GFR-alpha 3
GFRA3
GDNF family receptor alpha-3 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the GFRA3 gene.-Further reading:...

as a coreceptor.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK