Eph

Eph receptors form the largest receptor tyrosine kinase family in humans, split into EphA and EphB classes that bind membrane-anchored ephrin-A and ephrin-B ligands on neighboring cells. Because both partners are membrane-bound, signaling is bidirectional: forward signals into the Eph-bearing cell and reverse signals into the ephrin-bearing cell coordinate repulsion, adhesion, and cell sorting. This contact-dependent logic patterns the nervous system, guides axons and neural-crest migration, segments the hindbrain, and remodels vasculature. Eph-ephrin disruption is implicated in cancer invasion and neurological disease. Recombinant Eph ectodomains and ephrin-Fc chimeras are standard tools for these studies.