PKP1 (plakophilin-1) is an important intercellular connexin that plays a key role in the formation of cytoskeleton and keratin complexes. PKP1 protein is structurally complex, mainly composed of three conserved N-terminal regions and a highly conserved intermediate carbon-terminal region. In addition, PKP1 also contains a tail horizontal domain (Horiz domain) rich in hydrophobic amino acid residues, which plays a regulatory role in the phosphorylation of PKP1. There are three main biological functions of PKP1:
Catalog No. PA1000-8859
1.Intercellular junction: PKP1 promotes the formation of intercellular keratin saddle by binding to keratin and maintains the stability of intercellular junction. This process is an important part of cell surface function and structure, and is essential for the protective function of the barrier and for maintaining the integrity of the cell structure.
2.Involved in cell signaling: PKP1 interacts with a variety of signaling pathway-related proteins, such as -catenin and Liu's dermatosis-related protein (DSP), and is involved in the regulation of cell adhesion and signaling. PKP1 is involved in the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation through these interactions, and has an important impact on the physiological function of cells.
3.Regulates cell adhesion: PKP1 is involved in cell adhesion and migration, regulating the formation and function of cell-to-cell junctions by interacting with keratin and other intercellular connexins. Abnormal or dysfunctional expression levels of PKP1 can lead to the disintegration of cell-to-cell junctions, which can affect cell structure and function.
In order to verify the biological activity of PKP1, researchers typically use the following methods for experimental analysis:
1.Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assays: Co-IP assays allow for verification of PKP1 interactions with other proteins, such as binding to keratins and signaling pathway-related proteins. This can further demonstrate the function of PKP1 in the process of cell-to-cell junction and signaling.
2.Cell adhesion assay: Under the condition of adherent culture medium culture, the effect of PKP1 on cell adhesion and migration can be detected by cell adhesion assay. By intervening in the expression level or function of PKP1, its regulatory effect on cell-to-cell junction and adhesion can be further verified.
3.Immunohistochemistry analysis: Immunohistochemistry can be used to detect the expression and localization of PKP1 in cells, and further confirm the role of PKP1 in cell-to-cell junctions.
Overall, PKP1, as an intercellular connexin, plays an important role in the maintenance of cell structure and function. Through the verification of its biological activity, we can have a deeper understanding of its mechanism of action in the process of cell-to-cell connection and signaling, and provide new research ideas for related diseases.