Background
ERBB4 is a single-pass type I membrane protein with multiple cysteine rich domains, a transmembrane domain, a tyrosine kinase domain, a phosphotidylinositol-3 kinase binding site and a PDZ domain binding motif. ERBB4 is expressed at highest levels in brain, heart, kidney, in addition to skeletal muscle, parathyroid, cerebellum, pituitary, spleen, testis and breast. And lower levels in thymus, lung, salivary gland, and pancreas. It specifically binds to and is activated by neuregulins, NRG-2, NRG-3, heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor, betacellulin and NTAK. ERBB4 also can be activated by other factors and induces a variety of cellular responses including mitogenesis and differentiation. ERBB4 regulates development of the heart, the central nervous system and the mammary gland, gene transcription, cell proliferation, differentiation, migration and apoptosis. It is required for normal cardiac muscle differentiation during embryonic development, and for postnatal cardiomyocyte proliferation. ERBB4 also play a role on the normal development of the embryonic central nervous system, especially for normal neural crest cell migration and normal axon guidance. It is required for mammary gland differentiation, induction of milk proteins and lactation.
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