The ephrin receptors (EPHs) and EPH-related receptors comprise the largest subfamily of receptor protein-tyrosine kinases. They have been implicated in mediating developmental events, particularly in the nervous system.

Members

Functions

Receptors in the Eph subfamily (EPHs) typically have a single kinase domain and an extracellular region containing a Cys-rich domain and 2 fibronectin type III repeats.

The ligands for Eph receptors (EPHs) have been named ephrins (EFNs) by the Eph Nomenclature Committee (1997).

Based on their structures and sequence relationships, ephrins are divided into the ephrin-A (EFNAs) class, which are anchored to the membrane by a glycosylphosphatidylinositol linkage, and the ephrin-B (EFNBs) class, which are transmembrane proteins.

The Eph family of receptors (EPHRs) are divided into 2 groups based on the similarity of their extracellular domain sequences and their affinities for binding ephrin-A (EPHAs)and ephrin-B ligands (EPHBs).

The Eph Nomenclature Committee (1997) proposed that Eph receptors interacting preferentially with ephrin-A proteins be called EphA (EPHAs) and Eph receptors interacting preferentially with ephrin-B proteins be called EphB (EPHBs).

Involvment in human pathology

 cell-cell interaction
 cell migration
 morphogenesis
 neural development
 neural plasticity
 tumorigenesis

• tumor growth
• tumor survival

 tumor angiogenesis
 tumor metastasis

See also

 EFNs (ephrins)

References

 Cowan CA, Henkemeyer M. Ephrins in reverse, park and drive. Trends Cell Biol. 2002 Jul;12(7):339-46. PMID: #12185851#