Ank3 - ankyrin 3, epithelial Gene

This gene encodes a member of the ankyrin protein family. Ankyrins link integral membrane proteins to the spectrin-based Cytoskeleton. Ankyrin family members share a protein structure which includes three independently folded domains: the N-terminal ankyrin repeat domain, the central spectrin-binding domain, and the C-terminal rod domain. This ankyrin functions as the major ankyrin in the kidney and may play a role in the polarized distribution of many integral membrane proteins to specific subcellular sites. Alternative splicing of this gene results in multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]