Ephb4
Developmental stage
Specifically expressed in the developing cardiovascular system with higher expression in veins. First detected in the developing anterior cardinal vein at 8.75 dpc. Abundant expression at 16.5 dpc in various organ systems, including thymus, heart, lung and kidney, where it is associated with cells of endothelial origin. In myogenic progenitor cells, highly expressed during early development (11.5 dpc) and progressively repressed as developments proceeds (PubMed:27446912).
Function
Receptor tyrosine kinase which binds promiscuously transmembrane ephrin-B family ligands residing on adjacent cells, leading to contact-dependent bidirectional signaling into neighboring cells. The signaling pathway downstream of the receptor is referred to as forward signaling while the signaling pathway downstream of the ephrin ligand is referred to as reverse signaling. Together with its cognate ligand/functional ligand EFNB2 it is involved in the regulation of cell adhesion and migration, and plays a central role in heart morphogenesis, angiogenesis and blood vessel remodeling and permeability. EPHB4-mediated forward signaling controls cellular repulsion and segregation from EFNB2-expressing cells.
Post-translational modifications
Phosphorylated; autophosphorylation is stimulated by EFNB2.
Sequence Similarities
Belongs to the protein kinase superfamily. Tyr protein kinase family. Ephrin receptor subfamily.
Tissue Specificity
Expressed in various organ systems, including lung, liver, kidney, intestine, muscle and heart (PubMed:7478528). Expressed in myogenic progenitor cells (PubMed:27446912).
Cellular localization
- Cell membrane
- Single-pass type I membrane protein
Alternative names
Htk, Mdk2, Myk1, Ephb4, Ephrin type-B receptor 4, Developmental kinase 2, Hepatoma transmembrane kinase, Tyrosine kinase MYK-1, mDK-2