Protein Information
Beta-catenin, an adherens junction (AJ) protein, was originally identified as a component of cell-cell adhesion structures. AJs are necessary for the creation and maintenance of epithelial cell layers by regulating cell growth and adhesion between cells. Beta-catenin interacts with the cytoplasmic domain of E-cadherin and links E-cadherin to alpha-catenin, which in turn mediates anchorage of the E-cadherin complex to the cortical actin cytoskeleton. Studies show that Beta-catenin also binds to another cytoskeletal complex containing the adenomatous polyposis coli protein and microtubules, and interacts with several signaling pathways that include tyrosine kinases, phosphatases and Wnt/Wingless. The interplay between beta-catenin, cytoskeletal complexes and signaling pathways may regulate morphogenesis. Beta-catenin is expressed in several hair follicle cell types, basal and peripheral matrix cells, and cells of the outer and inner root sheats. A pathological role of beta-catenin has been identified in pilomatrixoma (PTR), medulloblastoma (MDB), colorectal cancer (CRC), ovarian cancer, and tumor development. In the nucleus, beta-catenin serves to co activate a family of Lef/Tcf transcription factors that stimulate transcription of target genes including those encoding cyclin D and c-myc that promote cell proliferation. The influence on cell proliferation is the molecular basis for the role of beta-catenin in tumorgenesis, specifically, solid tumors of the breast, colon, liver, lung, gastric, prostate, and skin.
Synonyms
armadillo; Bcatenin; B-catenin; beta 1 88kDa; beta catenin; Betacatenin; beta-catenin; beta-catenin 1; Bfc; C20orf33; Cadherin associated protein; catenin; catenin (cadherin associated protein), beta 1; catenin (cadherin associated protein), beta 1, 88kDa; catenin (cadherin-associated protein) beta 1; catenin (cadherin-associated protein), beta 1; catenin (cadherin-associated protein), beta 1, 88kDa; Catenin b 1; Catenin b1; catenin beta; catenin beta 1; catenin beta 1 L homeolog; Catenin beta1; catenin beta-1; Catenin β 1; Catenin β1; Catnb; CHBCAT; CTNB1; CTNNB; Ctnnb1; ctnnb1.L; ctnnb1-a; ctnnb1-b; dJ633O20.1; DKFZp686D02253; FLJ25606; FLJ37923; id:ibd2058; Mesc; MRD19; NAP; NYD-SP19; OK/SW-cl.35; OTTHUMP00000209289; P14L; PP8304; PRO2286; RP5-1118M15.1; wu:fb73e10; wu:fi81c06; wu:fk25h01; XELAEV_18031149mg; β catenin; βcatenin
