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DHH is part of the Hedgehog family which encodes signaling molecules that are involved in regulating morphogenesis. DHH protein is a precursor that is autocatalytically cleaved, the N-terminal portion is soluble and contains the signalling activity while the C-terminal portion is involved in precursor processing. Additionally, the C-terminal product covalently attaches a cholesterol moiety to the N-terminal product, restricting the N-terminal product to the cell surface and preventing it from freely diffusing throughout the organism. Defects in DHH protein have been associated with partial gonadal dysgenesis (PGD) accompanied by minifascicular polyneuropathy. DHH plays a role both male gonadal differentiation and perineurial development.
DHH plays a role in intercellular signaling which is essential for a variety of patterning events during development. DHH functions as a spermatocyte survival factor in the testes & is essential for testes development.

Epidermal growth factor has a profound effect on the differentiation of specific cells in vivo and is a potent mitogenic factor for a variety of cultured cells of both ectodermal and mesodermal origin. The EGF precursor is believed to exist as a membrane-bound molecule which is proteolytically cleaved to generate the 53-amino acid peptide hormone that stimulates cells to divide. EGF stimulates the growth of various epidermal and epithelial tissues in vivo and in vitro and of some fibroblasts in cell culture.

Neuronal Regeneration Related Protein (NREP) has roles in neural function. NREP promotes axonal regeneration. In addition, NREP has functions in cellular differentiation. NREP protein induces differentiation of fibroblast into myofibroblast and increases retinoic-acid regulation of lipid-droplet biogenesis. NREP down-regulates the expression of TGFB1 and TGFB2 but not of TGFB3. NREP has a role in the regulation of alveolar generation.

Sorting nexin-5 (SNX5) belongs to the sorting nexin family, whose members contains a phox (PX) domain, (which is a phosphoinositide binding domain) and are involved in intracellular trafficking. SNX5 protein is a component of the mammalian retromer complex, which facilitates cargo recovery from endosomes to the trans-Golgi network. SNX5 binds to the Fanconi anemia, complementation group A protein.

Neurotensin (NTS) is a common precursor for 2 peptides, neuromedin N and neurotensin. Neurotensin is a secreted tridecapeptide, which is generally distributed throughout the central nervous system, and may serve as a neurotransmitter or a neuromodulator. NTS is involved in dopamine-associated pathophysiological events, in the maintenance of gut structure and function, and in the regulation of fat metabolism. Tissue-specific processing may initiate the formation in some tissues of larger forms of neuromedin N and neurotensin. The large forms may embody more stable peptides which are also biologically active.

Omentin is a recently recognized gene highly localized to the mental tissue (visceral adipose tissue). Omentin is present in the stromal vascular cells in the adipose tissue rather than in the adipocytes. Omentin is predominantly expressed in the visceral adipose tissue than the subcutaneous tissue, with the omentin mRNA being 150 times higher in the visceral adipose tissue. Omentin has also been detected in human blood using western blot analysis, and seems to increase insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes in mice. Omentin seems to increase Akt phosphorylation irrespective of insulin presence. Its role in glucose metabolism and obesity remains to be described; an insulin-sensitizing action is possible.Differences in Omentin expression has been noted in adipose tissue from normals and patients with inflammatory bowel disease although its significance is unknown.

Guanine Nucleotide Binding Protein Gamma 12, also known as GNG12 belongs to the Guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G proteins) which are involved as a modulator or transducer in a variety of transmembrane signaling systems. In addition, the beta as well as gamma chains are essential for the GTPase activity, for replacement of GDP by GTP, and also for G protein-effector interaction.

BDNF promotes the survival of neuronal populations that are all located either in the central nervous system or directly connected to it. BDNF is a major regulator of synaptic transmission and plasticity at adult synapses in many regions of the cns. The versatility of BDNF is emphasized by its contribution to a range of adaptive neuronal responses including long-term potentiation (ltp), long-term depression (ltd), certain forms of short-term synaptic plasticity, as well as homeostatic regulation of intrinsic neuronal excitability.

ACTN1 encodes a nonmuscle, cytoskeletal, alpha actinin isoform and maps to the same site as the structurally similar erythroid beta spectrin gene. Alpha actinins belong to the spectrin gene superfamily which represents a diverse group of cytoskeletal proteins, including the alpha and beta spectrins and dystrophins. Alpha actinin is an actin-binding protein with multiple roles in different cell types. In nonmuscle cells, the cytoskeletal isoform is found along microfilament bundles and adherens-type junctions, where it is involved in binding actin to the membrane. In contrast, skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle isoforms are localized to the Z-disc and analogous dense bodies, where they help anchor the myofibrillar actin filaments.

S100A8 is a part of the S100 family of proteins containing 2 EF-hand calcium-binding motifs. S100 proteins are localized in the cytoplasm and/or nucleus of a broad range of cells, and participate in the regulation of cellular processes such as cell cycle progression and differentiation. S100A8 plays a role in the inhibition of casein kinase and as a cytokine. S100A8 altered expression is related with cystic fibrosis disease. S100A8 is a calcium-binding protein that has antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungi.S100A8 is crucial for resistance towards invasion by pathogenic bacteria. S100A8 up-regulates transcription of genes that are under the control of NF-kappa-B. S100A8 plays a role in the development of endotoxic shock in response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide. S100A8 endorses tubulin polymerization and promotes phagocyte migration and infiltration of granulocytes at sites of wounding. S100A8 takes part as a pro-inflammatory mediator in acute and chronic inflammation and up-regulates the release of IL8 and cell-surface expression of ICAM1.

NCK2 belongs to the NCK family of adaptor proteins. NCK2 holds one SH2 domain and three SH3 domains. NCK2 bind and recruit several proteins that take part in the regulation of receptor protein tyrosine kinases even though it has no known catalytic function. That indicates that NCK2 takes part in cytoskeletal reorganization. Alternate transcription splice variants, encoding diverse isoforms, were characterized.

Sorting nexin 3 (SNX3) belongs to the large family of hydrophilic proteins, which interact with various receptor types and are involved in intracellular trafficking. SNX3 interacts with phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate, and is involved in protein trafficking. SNX3 comprises a distinct subgroup of nexins, which share less sequence similarity outside of the PX domain and have significantly different binding affinities for the tyrosine kinase receptors.

Nuclear Receptor-Interacting Protein (NRIP3)is a 241 amino acid protein which is encoded by a gene that maps to human chromosome 11.Diseases associated with NRIP3 include sarcoma, and acute myeloid leukemia.

Nucleobindin-2 (NUCB2) is a EF-hand calcium-binding protein. Nucleobindin-2 takes part in calcium homeostasis and is a multifunctional protein that interacts with Ca(2+) nucleic acids & various regulatory proteins in different signaling pathways. NUCB2 is localized in neuronal perikarya and dendrites of mouse brain.

Biglycan (BGN) is a small cellular or pericellular matrix proteoglycan which takes part in assembly of collagen fibrils and muscle regeneration. BGN is closely correlated in structure to two other small proteoglycans, decorin and fibromodulin. BGN interacts with several proteins involved in muscular dystrophy, including alpha-dystroglycan, alpha- and gamma-sarcoglycan and collagen VI. BGN is also critical for the assembly of the dystrophin-associated protein complex.

FANK1 was localized in the nuclei of identical cells in the seminiferous epithelium. Depending on its nuclear localization, a gene ontology analysis proposes that FANK1 has a DNA binding activity therefor operates as a transcription factor. The extremely controlled expression of FANK1, suggests that it takes part in regulating gene expression in the transition from the meiotic phase to the haploid phase throughout spermatogenesis.

Follistatin is a single-chain gonadal protein that specifically inhibits follicle-stimulating hormone release. The single FST gene encodes two isoforms, FST317 and FST344 containing 317 and 344 amino acids respectively, resulting from alternative splicing of the precursor mRNA. In a study in which 37 candidate genes were tested for linkage and association with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or hyperandrogenemia in 150 families, evidence was found for linkage between PCOS and follistatin. Follistatin binds directly to activin and functions as an activin antagonist. specific inhibitor of the biosynthesis and secretion of pituitary follicle stimulating hormone (fsh).

Follistatin is a single-chain gonadal protein that specifically inhibits follicle-stimulating hormone release. The single FST gene encodes two isoforms, FST317 and FST344 containing 317 and 344 amino acids respectively, resulting from alternative splicing of the precursor mRNA. In a study in which 37 candidate genes were tested for linkage and association with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or hyperandrogenemia in 150 families, evidence was found for linkage between PCOS and follistatin. Follistatin binds directly to activin and functions as an activin antagonist. specific inhibitor of the biosynthesis and secretion of pituitary follicle stimulating hormone (fsh).

KLRC3 belongs to the NKG2 group that can be found mostly in natural killer (NK) cells and encodes a family of transmembrane proteins known for their C-type lectin domain and their type II membrane orientation (extracellular C terminus). The NKG2 gene family is situated inside the NK complex, a region which has quite a few C-type lectin genes mostly expressed on NK cells.

L-Selectin belongs to a family of divalent cation-dependent carbohydrate-binding glycoproteins or adhesion molecules. The L-Selectin molecule is composed of various domains: one homologous to lectins, one to epidermal growth factor, and two to the consensus repeat units found in C3/C4 binding proteins.
L-selectin is expressed constitutively on lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes and interacts specifically with carbohydrate groups on activated endothelial cells. L-Selectin may be shed by proteolytic cleavage and circulating levels in biological fluids may be used as an indicator of various pathological conditions. L-Selectin is cleaved by ADAM17.
L-selectin works as a "homing receptor" for leukocytes to enter secondary lymphoid tissues via the high endothelial venules. Ligands present on endothelial cells will attach to leukocytes expressing L-selectin, which causes the leukocytes to become localized at that juncture. The receptor is also located on the cell surfaces of "naive" T cells, which have not yet encountered their particular antigen. This surface expression is lost following the cells activation.

GOLGA7 is part of the ERF4 family. This protein is involved in protein transport from Golgi to cell surface. The ZDHHC9-GOLGA7 complex is a palmitoyltransferase specific for HRAS and NRAS. GOLGA7 is palmitoylated on Cys-69 and Cys-72; that is required for Golgi localization and interaction with GOLGA3.

Cellular Repressor of E1A-Stimulated Genes 1 (CREG1) both activates and inhibits gene expression to stimulate cellular proliferation and hinder differentiation. CREG1 antagonizes transcriptional activation and cellular transformation by E1A. CREG1 shares partial sequence similarity with E1A and binds both the general transcription factor TBP and the tumor suppressor pRb in vitro. CREG1 contributes to the transcriptional control of cell growth and differentiation.

Prorelaxin H2 (RLN2) is a member of a family which is produced by the ovary, targets the mammalian reproductive system to ripen the cervix, elongate the pubic symphysis and inhibit uterine contraction. It may also have other roles in boosting sperm motility, regulating blood pressure, controlling heart rate and releasing vasopressin. RLN2 is a peptide hormone linked to several therapeutically relevant physiological effects, including regulation of collagen metabolism and multiple vascular control pathways. The active form of the RLN2 protein consists of an A chain and a B chain linked by disulfide bonds.

NECTIN3, also known as Nectin Cell Adhesion Molecule 3, is part of the nectin family. NECTIN3 is intended to initiate cell-cell adhesion to stimulate cell attachment and to allow subsequent formation of JAM-and cadherin-based intercellular junctions. NECTIN3 induces endocytosis-mediated down-regulation of PVR from the cell surface, which results in reduction of cell movement & proliferation. Following Nectin-3 activity adds strength to the junction through trans-interaction with various molecules.