Plakophilin 3 (PKP3)

Plakophilin-3 is a member of the arm-repeat (armadillo) and plakophilin gene families. Plakophilin proteins contain numerous armadillo repeats, localize to cell desmosomes and nuclei, and participate in linking cadherins to intermediate filaments in the cytoskeleton. This protein may act in cellular desmosome-dependent adhesion and signaling pathways.A PKP3 cDNA, cloned from a size-selected cDNA library from a CaCo-2 cell line, encodes a deduced 797-amino acid protein with a calculated molecular mass of 87.081 kD. Found in desmosomes of most simple and stratified epithelia. Not found in foreskin fibroblasts and various sarcoma-derived cell lines. Beside dendritic reticular cells of lymphatic follicles not found in non-epithelial desmosome-bearing tissues.