Recombinant Human PCDHb8 protein

Protocadherin-beta-8 (PCDHβ8), a member of the protocadherin beta (PCDHβ) subfamily, is a calcium-dependent cell adhesion molecule predominantly expressed in the vertebrate nervous system. As part of the clustered protocadherin gene cluster, it plays critical roles in neuronal circuit assembly, synaptic specificity, and brain development by mediating homophilic or heterophilic interactions between neurons. The PCDHβ8 protein features a conserved extracellular domain with multiple cadherin repeats, a transmembrane domain, and a variable cytoplasmic tail that may engage in intracellular signaling. Its diversity, arising from alternative splicing and combinatorial expression across the PCDHβ cluster, contributes to the molecular complexity required for neural connectivity.

Recombinant PCDHβ8 protein is typically produced using expression systems like mammalian cells (e.g., HEK293) or insect cells to ensure proper post-translational modifications, particularly glycosylation critical for functional folding. This engineered protein retains the extracellular adhesive domains, enabling in vitro studies on cell-cell interactions, neurite outgrowth, and synaptic plasticity. Researchers utilize it to investigate PCDHβ8's role in neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., autism, epilepsy) and cancers where protocadherins are often dysregulated. Recent studies also explore its potential as a biomarker or therapeutic target, given its involvement in tumor suppression and metastasis inhibition in certain cancers. Current challenges include elucidating isoform-specific functions and mapping interaction networks within the structurally diverse protocadherin family.