Ephrins & Eph Receptors
Creative BioMart Ephrins & Eph Receptors Product List
Available Resources for Ephrins & Eph Receptors Research
At Creative BioMart, researchers can explore a diverse selection of Eph family molecules (Ephrins and Eph receptors) products, such as recombinant proteins, magnetized protein beads, cells and tissues, chromatography reagents, and more.
Our comprehensive range of resources delves into various facets of Eph family molecules, offering insights into involved pathways, protein functions, responsive proteins, related literature, research specialties, and other pertinent subjects. These valuable tools empower researchers to delve deeper into the significance of these crucial biomolecules, aiding in a better understanding of their roles.
Our Featured Products
Class | Cat.# | Product name | Species | Source (Host) | Tag |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ephrin | EFNA1-2238H | Recombinant Human EFNA1, His tagged | Human | Human Cell | His |
Efna2-4047M | Active Recombinant Mouse Efna2 protein, His-tagged | Mouse | HEK293 | His | |
EFNA3-3151H | Recombinant Human EFNA3, His tagged | Human | Human Cell | His | |
EFNB1-2237H | Recombinant Human EFNB1 protein, His-tagged | Human | HEK293 | His | |
EFNB2-3191H | Recombinant Human EFNB2, His tagged | Human | Human Cell | His | |
Eph Receptor | EPHA1-3374H | Active Recombinant Human EPHA1 Protein, GST-tagged | Human | Insect Cell | GST |
EPHA1-5931C | Recombinant Chicken EPHA1 | Chicken | Mammalian Cell | His |
About Ephrins & Eph Receptors
Ephrins and Eph receptors are a class of cell surface molecules that play important roles in various cellular processes, including cell migration, tissue development, and neural connectivity. They are involved in cell-cell communication and are essential for proper tissue organization during embryonic development and in maintaining tissue homeostasis in adulthood.
Ephrins are a family of membrane-bound ligands that interact with Eph receptors. They are divided into two subclasses: Ephrin-A and Ephrin-B. Ephrin-A ligands are glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins, while Ephrin-B ligands are transmembrane proteins. The Ephrin-A subclass includes ephrin-A1, ephrin-A2, ephrin-A3, and ephrin-A4, while the Ephrin-B subclass includes ephrin-B1, ephrin-B2, ephrin-B3, and ephrin-B4.
Eph receptors are a family of receptor tyrosine kinases that bind to ephrins. They are classified into two subclasses: EphA and EphB. EphA receptors preferentially bind to Ephrin-A ligands, while EphB receptors preferentially bind to Ephrin-B ligands. Eph receptors consist of an extracellular region, a transmembrane domain, and an intracellular region with tyrosine kinase activity. Upon binding to their ligands, Eph receptors undergo autophosphorylation, leading to the activation of downstream signaling pathways.
The binding of ephrins to Eph receptors triggers bidirectional signaling, known as forward and reverse signaling. Forward signaling refers to the signaling events occurring in the Eph receptor-expressing cell, while reverse signaling occurs in the ephrin-expressing cell. These signaling pathways regulate various cellular processes, including cell adhesion, cell repulsion, cytoskeletal remodeling, and intracellular signaling cascades.
Ephrins and Eph receptors are involved in diverse biological processes, including axon guidance, angiogenesis, tissue boundary formation, and organ development. They play crucial roles in the development and maintenance of the nervous system, where they regulate neuronal migration, axon guidance, and synapse formation. They are also implicated in diseases such as cancer, where their dysregulation can contribute to tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis.
Overall, Ephrins and Eph receptors are critical players in cell-cell communication, with their interactions governing various cellular processes during development and in adult tissues. Their intricate signaling mechanisms make them fascinating targets for further research and potential therapeutic interventions in various diseases.
Fig.1 Members of Eph family. In the human genome, there are totally nine EphA and five EphB receptors. The EphA receptors promiscuously bind five glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) linked Ephrin-A ligands, and the EphB receptors promiscuously bind three transmembrane Ephrin-B ligands (Wang J, et al., 2020)
Ephrins & Eph Receptors Signaling
Ephrin-Eph signaling involves complex bidirectional communication between the ephrin ligands and Eph receptors on adjacent cells. The signaling cascade can be divided into two components: forward signaling, which occurs in the Eph receptor-expressing cell, and reverse signaling, which occurs in the ephrin ligand-expressing cell. Here is a general overview of the signaling events:
- Ephrin-Eph receptor binding: The interaction between ephrin ligands and Eph receptors occurs at the cell surface. Ephrin-A ligands preferentially bind to EphA receptors, while ephrin-B ligands bind to EphB receptors. The binding triggers receptor clustering and initiates the downstream signaling cascade.
- Tyrosine kinase activation: Upon ligand binding, the intracellular region of Eph receptors undergoes autophosphorylation on specific tyrosine residues, activating their tyrosine kinase activity. This autophosphorylation event is critical for the subsequent signaling events.
- Recruitment of signaling proteins: Phosphorylated tyrosine residues on the activated Eph receptors serve as docking sites for various signaling proteins. These include adaptor proteins, such as Grb2 and Nck, which mediate downstream signaling.
- Activation of intracellular signaling pathways: The recruitment of signaling proteins leads to the activation of multiple intracellular signaling pathways. These pathways can include the Ras-MAPK pathway, PI3K-Akt pathway, Rho GTPase pathway, and the Src family kinases pathway, among others. These signaling pathways regulate cellular processes such as cell adhesion, cytoskeletal rearrangement, and gene expression.
- Forward signaling: In the Eph receptor-expressing cell, the activated Eph receptors transmit signals to regulate its own behavior. This can include changes in cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, or differentiation.
- Reverse signaling: Simultaneously, the interaction between ephrin ligands and Eph receptors can initiate signaling events in the ephrin-expressing cell. This reverse signaling can modulate cellular processes within the ephrin-expressing cell, influencing its behavior and responses.
The specific downstream effects of Ephrin-Eph signaling depend on the cellular context, the specific ligand-receptor pairing, and the downstream signaling pathways activated. The signaling outcomes can be diverse, including repulsion or attraction of cells, modulation of cell adhesion, regulation of cell migration, and control of tissue boundary formation.
It is important to note that Ephrin-Eph signaling is highly dynamic and can exhibit context-dependent effects. The signaling outcomes can vary depending on the concentration and spatial distribution of ligands and receptors, as well as the presence of co-receptors, extracellular matrix components, and other signaling molecules in the cellular microenvironment.
Fig.2 Schematic representation of Eph/ephrin structures and signaling pathways. (Yang JS, et al., 2018)
Role of Ephrins & Eph Receptors in Diseases
Ephrins and Eph receptors have been implicated in various diseases due to their roles in regulating cellular processes such as cell migration, proliferation, and tissue organization. Dysregulation of Ephrin-Eph signaling has been associated with several pathological conditions, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disorders, and inflammatory diseases.
- Cancer: Ephrins and Eph receptors play complex roles in cancer progression. Depending on the context, they can act as either tumor suppressors or promoters. In some cancers, Eph receptors and ephrins are downregulated or mutated, leading to disrupted cell-cell communication, increased cell proliferation, and enhanced invasiveness. In other cases, Eph-ephrin interactions promote tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis by regulating cell migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).
- Neurodegenerative diseases: Eph receptors and ephrins are crucial for proper neural development and function. In neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, dysregulation of Ephrin-Eph signaling has been implicated in neuronal dysfunction, synaptic loss, and impaired neuroplasticity. Disrupted Eph receptor signaling may contribute to abnormal axon guidance, synaptic pruning, and neuronal degeneration observed in these diseases.
- Cardiovascular disorders: Ephrins and Eph receptors play essential roles in cardiovascular development and vascular remodeling. They regulate endothelial cell behavior, vessel formation, and vascular smooth muscle cell migration. Altered Ephrin-Eph signaling has been associated with pathological angiogenesis, atherosclerosis, and vascular remodeling in conditions such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetic vasculopathy.
- Inflammatory diseases: Ephrin-Eph signaling is involved in immune cell migration, cell adhesion, and inflammation. Dysregulation of this signaling pathway has been linked to chronic inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and asthma. Ephrin-Eph interactions modulate leukocyte trafficking, cytokine production, and immune cell activation, contributing to the pathogenesis of these inflammatory conditions.
Understanding the specific roles of Ephrins and Eph receptors in these diseases is an active area of research. Targeting Ephrin-Eph signaling pathways holds potential for developing novel therapeutic approaches, including the development of small molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies, to modulate their activity and potentially mitigate disease progression.
Fig.3 Potential target sites for Eph receptor/ephrin-associated antiangiogenic therapy. (Mosch B, et al., 2010)
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Related References
- Wang J, Zheng X, Peng Q, Zhang X, Qin Z. Eph receptors: the bridge linking host and virus. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2020;77(12):2355-2365.
- Yang JS, Wei HX, Chen PP, Wu G. Roles of Eph/ephrin bidirectional signaling in central nervous system injury and recovery. Exp Ther Med. 2018;15(3):2219-2227.
- Mosch B, Reissenweber B, Neuber C, Pietzsch J. Eph receptors and ephrin ligands: important players in angiogenesis and tumor angiogenesis. J Oncol. 2010;2010:135285.