This gene encodes the anterior pituitary hormone prolactin. This secreted hormone is a growth regulator for many tissues, including cells of the immune system. It may also play a role in cell survival by suppressing apoptosis, and it is essential for lactation. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants that encode the same protein. [provided by RefSeq, Aug 2011].

The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the G-protein coupled receptor family 2. This protein is a receptor for parathyroid hormone (PTH) and for parathyroid hormone-like hormone (PTHLH). The activity of this receptor is mediated by G proteins which activate adenylyl cyclase and also a phosphatidylinositol-calcium second messenger system. Defects in this receptor are known to be the cause of Jansen's metaphyseal chondrodysplasia (JMC), chondrodysplasia Blomstrand type (BOCD), as well

TCF-4, transcription factor 4, is a basic helix-turn-helix transcription factor. This protein recognizes an Ephrussi-box ('E-box') binding site ('CANNTG') - a motif first identified in immunoglobulin enhancers. The gene for TCF-4 is expressed predominantly in pre-B-cells, although it is found in other tissues as well. Multiple alternatively spliced transcript variants that encode different proteins have been described. TCF4, also known as TCF7L2, is expressed widely during development. Gene

Calreticulin is a highly conserved chaperone protein which resides primarily in the endoplasmic reticulum, and is involved in a variety of cellular processes, among them, cell adhesion. Additionally, it functions in protein folding quality control and calcium homeostasis. Calreticulin is also found in the nucleus, suggesting that it may have a role in transcription regulation. Systemic lupus erythematosus is associated with increased autoantibody titers against calreticulin. Recurrent mutatio

High Mobility Group Box-1 (HMGB1) is a cytokine implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other inflammatory diseases. The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, a vagus nerve dependent mechanism, inhibits HMGB1 release in experimental disease models

Collagens are highly conserved throughout evolution and are characterised by an uninterrupted “Glycine X Y“ triplet repeat that is a necessary part of the triple helical structure. Type I collagen (95 kDa) is found in bone, cornea, skin and tendon. Mutations in the encoding gene are associated with osteogenesis imperfecta, Ehlers Danlos syndrome, and idiopathic osteoporosis. Reciprocal translocations between chromosomes 17 and 22, where this gene and the gene for Platelet-derived growth