Protocadherin 8 (PCDH8)

Protocadherin-8 is a protein belongs to the protocadherin gene family, a subfamily of the cadherin superfamily. Protocadherins were discovered by Shintaro Suzuki's group, when they used PCR to find new members of the cadherin family. The PCR fragments that corresponded to Protocadherins were found in vertebrate and invertebrate species. The gene encodes an integral membrane protein that is thought to function in cell adhesion in a CNS-specific manner. Unlike classical cadherins, which are generally encoded by 15-17 exons, this gene includes only 3 exons. Notable is the large first exon encoding the extracellular region, including 6 cadherin domains and a transmembrane region. Alternative splicing yields isoforms with unique cytoplasmic tails.