NLRP6, short for NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain

Pyrin domain

A pyrin domain is a protein domain and a subclass of protein motif known as the death fold; it allows a pyrin domain containing protein to interact with other proteins that contain a pyrin domain...

 containing 6, is an intracellular

Intracellular

Not to be confused with intercellular, meaning "between cells".In cell biology, molecular biology and related fields, the word intracellular means "inside the cell".It is used in contrast to extracellular...

 protein that plays a role in the immune system

Immune system

An immune system is a system of biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. It detects a wide variety of agents, from viruses to parasitic worms, and needs to distinguish them from the organism's own...

. It is also known as NALP6, PYPAF5, PAN3, and CLR11.4, and is one of 14 pyrin domain containing members of the NOD-like receptor family of pattern recognition receptor

Pattern recognition receptor

Pattern recognition receptors are a primitive part of the immune system. They are proteins expressed by cells of the innate immune system to identify pathogen-associated molecular patterns , which are associated with microbial pathogens or cellular stress, as well as damage-associated molecular...

s. As with several other NOD-like receptors, NLRP6's role in immunity is related to its ability to regulate caspase-1 and NF-κB activity.