Membrane Frizzled Related Protein (MFRP)

Katoh (2001) identified MFRP. Using PCR analysis, they obtained an MFRP cDNA sequence predicted to encode a 579-amino acid type II transmembrane protein with 2 MFRP domains, a CRD, and 2 cubilin (CUB) domains. Northern blot analysis detected a 4.0-kb MFRP transcript in adult and fetal brain. Expression was weak in hippocampus and corpus callosum and strong in medulla oblongata. MFRP may play key roles in medulla oblongata as a regulator of the WNT signaling pathway. CTRP5 encodes a short-chain collagen gene exclusively expressed in the retina, is contained within the 3-prime untranslated region of exon 13 of MFRP. CTRP5 is present in the same orientation as MFRP, and both genes are expressed as a bicistronic transcript.