| Modification Notes |
The transmembrane protein Crumbs plays a crucial role in epithelial cell polarity and photoreceptor development in Drosophila melanogaster embryos, but the first identified human homologue, CRB1, is only expressed in retina and some parts of the brain, leaving room for another homologue to function in epithelial tissues. Leber congenital amaurosis or progressive retinitis pigmentosa are caused by loss of CRB1 function. A second homologue, CRB3, fills the gap, showing expression in epithelial tissues as well as skeletal muscles. CRB3 shares a cytoplasmic domain with other Crumbs proteins, but contains only a very short extracellular domain, through which it interacts with Par6, a regulator of epithelial polarity and tight junction formation. Thus, this specialized isoform provides a connection between apical membrane formation and tight junction regulation. |