Dsp
Developmental stage
Expressed in keratinocytes of newborn mice (at protein level).
Domain
The N-terminal region is required for localization to the desmosomal plaque and interacts with the N-terminal region of PKP1.
Function
Major high molecular weight protein of desmosomes. Regulates profibrotic gene expression in cardiomyocytes via activation of the MAPK14/p38 MAPK signaling cascade and increase in TGFB1 protein abundance (By similarity).
Sequence Similarities
Belongs to the plakin or cytolinker family.
Tissue Specificity
Expressed in undifferentiated keratinocytes of the epidermis at birth, expression increases as differentiation proceeds (at protein level) (PubMed:18079750, PubMed:27375112). Abundantly expressed in the suprabasal layers and weakly in the basal layers of the outer hair root sheath (at protein level) (PubMed:18079750). Expressed at intercalated disks in cardiomyocytes (at protein level) (PubMed:26403541).
Cellular localization
- Cell junction
- Desmosome
- Cell membrane
- Cytoplasm
- Localizes to desmosome precursor particles in the cytoplasm (By similarity). Localizes to the cytoplasm in undifferentiated keratinocytes however becomes localizes to both lateral and tricellular cell-cell contacts as differentiation progresses and as epithelial sheet formation completes (PubMed:27375112).
Alternative names
Desmoplakin, DP