This gene encodes a histone chaperone that preferentially places the variant histone H3.3 in nucleosomes. Orthologs of this gene in yeast, flies, and plants are necessary for the formation of transcriptionally silent heterochomatin. This gene plays an important role in the formation of the senescence-associated heterochromatin foci. These foci likely mediate the irreversible cell cycle changes that occur in senescent cells. It is considered the primary candidate gene in some haploinsufficiency

Desmosomes are cell-cell junctions between epithelial, myocardial, and certain other cell types. Desmoglein 3 is a calcium-binding transmembrane glycoprotein component of desmosomes in vertebrate epithelial cells. Currently, three desmoglein subfamily members have been identified and all are members of the cadherin cell adhesion molecule superfamily. These desmoglein gene family members are located in a cluster on chromosome 18. This protein has been identified as the autoantigen of the autoi

The collapsin response mediator protein (CRMP) family of five cytosolic phosphoproteins are highly expressed throughout brain development. The functions of CRMPs encompass signal transduction in developmental guidance cues as well as multiple cellular and molecular events involved in apoptosis/proliferation, cell migration, and differentiation. In the adult brain, the expression of CRMPs is dramatically downregulated. However, CRMPs remain expressed in structures that retain their capacity fo

This gene is one of several CC cytokine genes clustered on the p-arm of chromosome 9. Cytokines are a family of secreted proteins involved in immunoregulatory and inflammatory processes. The CC cytokines are proteins characterized by two adjacent cysteines. Similar to other chemokines the protein encoded by this gene inhibits hemopoiesis and stimulates chemotaxis. This protein is chemotactic in vitro for thymocytes and activated T cells, but not for B cells, macrophages, or neutrophils. The

This gene is a member of the Period family of genes and is expressed in a circadian pattern in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the primary circadian pacemaker in the mammalian brain. Genes in this family encode components of the circadian rhythms of locomotor activity, metabolism, and behavior. Circadian expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus continues in constant darkness, and a shift in the light/dark cycle evokes a proportional shift of gene expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. The