EphA6

EphA6 is a comparatively understudied EphA-class receptor tyrosine kinase. It is expressed in brain, retina and testis among other tissues and, like other EphA members, carries an extracellular ephrin-binding domain, a cysteine-rich linker, two fibronectin type III repeats and an intracellular tyrosine kinase domain. Its ligands within the ephrin-A family and its downstream pathways are not fully defined, though reported roles include retinal development and neuronal patterning. Elevated EphA6 expression has been observed in breast cancer tissues and cell lines, where it has been implicated in proliferation and metastatic behavior. Recombinant EphA6 provides a defined reagent for characterizing this less-explored receptor.