| Type: | Family | Name: | Ephrin type-A receptor 4 |
| Description: | Ephrin receptors (Ephs) are a group of receptor tyrosine kinases that are activated in response to binding ephrin ligands residing on adjacent cells, leading to contact-dependent bidirectional signalling into neighbouring cells [].Ephrin type-A receptor 4 (EphA4) is highly promiscuou; it has the unique property among Eph receptors to bind and to be physiologically activated by both GPI-anchored ephrin-A and transmembrane ephrin-B ligands []. It is involved in development [, ], supporting spine maturation [, , ], axon guidance [, ] and assembly of neuronal locomotor circuits [, ]. EphA4 is the most abundant ephrin receptor in the nervous system. Mice lacking the EphA4 exhibit pronounced axonal regeneration and functional recovery following spinal cord injury [, , ]. In humans EphA4 has been proposed to be a key actor in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) []. Inhibition of the EphA4-ephrin interaction has been considered as a useful strategy for promoting axon regeneration in the nervous system and a pharmacological tool to treat neurodegenerative disease patients [, ]. EphA4 also plays a role in human cancers. Overexpression of EphA4 is observed in many human cancers []. For instance, overexpression of EphA4 is associated with gastric cancer invasion and recurrence []. Antagonising Eph-ephrin interactions by interfering with the Eph receptor/ephrin system has been suggested to be used in anti-angiogenic cancer therapies [, ]. EphA4 is also a potent negative regulator of osteoclastic activity []. | Short Name: | EphA4 |
| GO Term | Gene Name |
|---|---|
| GO:0004713 | IPR030602 |
| GO:0005005 | IPR030602 |
| GO:0046875 | IPR030602 |
| GO:0007411 | IPR030602 |
| GO:0018108 | IPR030602 |
| GO:0021957 | IPR030602 |
| GO:0048681 | IPR030602 |
| GO:0005887 | IPR030602 |
| GO Term | Gene Name |
|---|---|
| GO:0004713 | IPR030602 |
| GO:0005005 | IPR030602 |
| GO:0046875 | IPR030602 |
| GO:0007411 | IPR030602 |
| GO:0018108 | IPR030602 |
| GO:0021957 | IPR030602 |
| GO:0048681 | IPR030602 |
| GO:0005887 | IPR030602 |
