Recombinant Rat Podocalyxin (Podxl), partial

Function

Involved in the regulation of both adhesion and cell morphology and cancer progression. Functions as an anti-adhesive molecule that maintains an open filtration pathway between neighboring foot processes in the podocyte by charge repulsion. Acts as a pro-adhesive molecule, enhancing the adherence of cells to immobilized ligands, increasing the rate of migration and cell-cell contacts in an integrin-dependent manner. Induces the formation of apical actin-dependent microvilli. Involved in the formation of a preapical plasma membrane subdomain to set up initial epithelial polarization and the apical lumen formation during renal tubulogenesis. Plays a role in cancer development and aggressiveness by inducing cell migration and invasion through its interaction with the actin-binding protein EZR. Affects EZR-dependent signaling events, leading to increased activities of the MAPK and PI3K pathways in cancer cells

Subcellular Location

Apical cell membrane; Cell projection, microvillus; Membrane raft; Cell projection, lamellipodium; Cell projection, filopodium; Cell projection, ruffle; Membrane (Single-pass type I membrane protein)

Tissue Specificity

Glomerular epithelium cell (podocyte) (at protein level)

Subunit

Monomer; when associated with the membrane raft. Oligomer; when integrated in the apical membrane. Interacts with NHERF2. Interacts (via the C-terminal PDZ-binding motif DTHL) with NHERF1 (via the PDZ domains); the interaction take place early in the secretory pathway and is necessary for its apical membrane sorting (By similarity). Found in a complex with EZR, PODXL and NHERF2. Associates with the actin cytoskeleton through complex formation with EZR and NHERF2. Interacts (via the C-terminal PDZ-binding motif DTHL) with NHERF1 (via the PDZ domains); interaction is not detected in glomerular epithelium cells. Interacts (via the C-terminal PDZ-binding motif DTHL) with NHERF2 (via the PDZ 1 domain); interaction is detected in glomerular epithelium cells. Interacts with EZR

• Kobayashi T. et al. Rat podocalyxin. (DEC-)
• Takeda T. et al. Expression of podocalyxin inhibits cell-cell adhesion and modifies junctional properties in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. — Mol. Biol. Cell (2000)
• The status, quality, and expansion of the NIH full-length cDNA project: the Mammalian Gene Collection (MGC). — Genome Res. (2004)
• Takeda T. et al. Loss of glomerular foot processes is associated with uncoupling of podocalyxin from the actin cytoskeleton. — J. Clin. Invest. (2001)