The collagens are a superfamily of proteins that play a role in maintaining the integrity of various tissues. Collagens are extracellular matrix proteins and have a triple-helical domain as their common structural element. Collagen VI is a major structural component of microfibrils. The basic structural unit of collagen VI is a heterotrimer of the alpha1(VI), alpha2(VI), and alpha3(VI) chains. The alpha2(VI) and alpha3(VI) chains are encoded by the COL6A2 and COL6A3 genes, respectively. The

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT), a neurotransmitter, elicits a wide array of physiological effects by binding to several receptor subtypes, including the 5-HT2 family of seven-transmembrane-spanning, G-protein-coupled receptors, which activate phospholipase C and D signaling pathways. This gene encodes the 2C subtype of serotonin receptor and its mRNA is subject to multiple RNA editing events, where genomically encoded adenosine residues are converted to inosines. RNA editing is predict

Anchors the extracellular matrix to the cytoskeleton via F-actin. Ligand for dystroglycan. Component of the dystrophin-associated glycoprotein complex which accumulates at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) and at a variety of synapses in the peripheral and central nervous systems and has a structural function in stabilizing the sarcolemma. Also implicated in signaling events and synaptic transmission.$nTissue specificityExpressed in muscle fibers accumulating in the costameres of myoplasm at

Gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptors [GABA(A) receptors] are ligand-gated chloride channels that mediate inhibitory neurotransmission. This gene encodes GABA(A) receptor-associated protein, which is highly positively charged in its N-terminus and shares sequence similarity with light chain-3 of microtubule-associated proteins 1A and 1B. This protein clusters neurotransmitter receptors by mediating interaction with the cytoskeleton. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]

Component of intercellular desmosome junctions. Involved in the interaction of plaque proteins and intermediate filaments mediating cell-cell adhesion. May contribute to epidermal cell positioning (stratification) by mediating differential adhesiveness between cells that express different isoforms.

This gene encodes a member of the claudin family. Claudins are integral membrane proteins and components of tight junction strands. Tight junction strands serve as a physical barrier to prevent solutes and water from passing freely through the paracellular space between epithelial or endothelial cell sheets. Mutations in this gene have been found in patients with velocardiofacial syndrome. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding the same protein have been found for this gene. [prov