Ephrin

Ephrin

Ephrins also known as ephrin ligands or Eph family receptor interacting proteins are a a family of proteins that serve as the ligands of the Eph receptor. Ephrins compose the largest known subfamily of receptor protein-tyrosine kinases (RTKs).

Since ephrin ligands (ephrins) and Eph receptors (Ephs) are both membrane-bound proteins, binding and activation of Eph/epherin intracellular signaling pathways can only occur via direct cell-cell interaction. Eph/epherin signaling regulates a variety of biological processes during embryonic development including the guidance of axon growth cones, formation of tissue boundaries, cell migration, and segmentation. Additionally, Eph/epherin signaling has recently been identified to play a critical role in the maintenance of several processes during adulthood including long-term potentiation, angiogenesis, and stem cell differentiation.