Tetraspanin 5 (TSPAN5)

TSPAN5 encoded by this gene is a member of the transmembrane 4 superfamily, also known as the tetraspanin family. Most of these members are cell-surface proteins that are characterized by the presence of four hydrophobic domains. The proteins mediate signal transduction events that play a role in the regulation of cell development, activation, growth and motility.The deduced 268-amino acid protein contains 4 transmembrane domains and other features characteristic of tetraspanins, including conservation of charged residues in or near the transmembrane domains, similar to ion channels, and of 4 cysteines in the second extracellular domain. EST database analysis suggested that TSPAN5 is expressed in adult brain, heart, lung, pancreas, and retina and in fetal liver, spleen, and heart.