This gene is the second identified human homolog of the Drosophila fat gene, which encodes a tumor suppressor essential for controlling cell proliferation during Drosophila development. The gene product is a member of the cadherin superfamily, a group of integral membrane proteins characterized by the presence of cadherin-type repeats. In addition to containing 34 tandem cadherin-type repeats, the gene product has two epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like repeats and one laminin G domain. This protein most likely functions as a cell adhesion molecule, controlling cell proliferation and playing an important role in cerebellum development. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008],
Cell membrane ; Single-pass type I membrane protein . Cell junction . Golgi apparatus, trans-Golgi network . Localized at adhesion zippers (early state of adherens junctions) of keratinocytes. .
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Tissue Expression:
Expressed in epidermal keratinocytes, infant brain, cerebellum, and also in a variety of tumors, such as pancreatic cancer, diffuse type gastric cancer, ovarian cancer, esophageal cancer, skin squamous cell carcinoma, head and neck cancer. Not expressed in melanoma cell line A375 cells, normal epidermal melanocytes or normal dermal fibroblasts. Expressed in epidermal keratinocytes and squamous cell carcinoma (at protein level).