Frizzled Related Protein (FRZB)

Frzb is a Wnt-binding protein especially important in embryonic development. It is a competitor for the cell-surface G-protein receptor Frizzled. This protein is expressed in chondrocytes making it important in skeletal development in the embryo and fetus. Frzb is localized in the extracellular plasma membrane. Unlike frizzled, frzb lacks the 7 transmembrane domains normally found in G-protein-coupled receptors. It is still considered a homolog of frizzled because it contains a Cysteine Rich Domain (CRD), and because of its intracellular C-terminus which is crucial for signaling. The CRD is highly conserved in diverse proteins, such as receptor tyrosine kinases and functions as a ligand binding domain. The C-terminal is a carboxyl terminus located intracellularly and is required for canonical signaling.