Tetraspan proteins: regulators of renal structure and function.
OBJECTIVE
Members of the tetraspan family are widely expressed and poorly understood. An emerging literature suggests that through their interactions with other membrane proteins they play central or regulatory roles in a wide variety of physiological processes. This review will discuss selected tetraspan complexes and highlight their relevance to epithelial cells and the kidney.


RESULTS
Tetraspans regulate the signaling and trafficking properties of their partner proteins. Tetraspan complexes with integrin molecules, for example, modulate cell adhesion and mobility. Perturbations of tetraspan-integrin assemblies can have dramatic impacts on renal tissue morphogenesis, resulting in a disruption of normal glomerular architecture and selectivity. Tetraspan interactions with renal ion transport proteins appear to affect transporter function by enhancing or inhibiting the endocytic internalization of their transport protein partners.


CONCLUSIONS
Tetraspans constitute a novel class of proteins whose capacity to alter the cell biological and functional properties of their membrane protein partners is likely to have wide ranging and important physiological ramifications.
Caplan
Michael J
MJ
Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06525-8026, USA. Michael.caplan@yale.edu
Kamsteeg
Erik-Jan
EJ
Duffield
Amy
A
D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000502:physiology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000502:physiology; D017506:H(+)-K(+)-Exchanging ATPase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology; D016023:Integrins / Q000502:physiology; D007668:Kidney / Q000502:physiology*; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology; D010980:Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D060185:Tetraspanin 24; D060225:Tetraspanin 28; D060245:Tetraspanin 29; D060149:Tetraspanin 30
D015703:Antigens, CD; C554715:CD151 protein, human; C554586:CD63 protein, human; C554798:CD81 protein, human; C554869:CD9 protein, human; D016023:Integrins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D010980:Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins; D060185:Tetraspanin 24; D060225:Tetraspanin 28; D060245:Tetraspanin 29; D060149:Tetraspanin 30; D017506:H(+)-K(+)-Exchanging ATPase