| Type: | Family | Name: | Claudin-16 |
| Description: | Claudins form the paracellular tight junction seal in epithelial tissues. In humans, 24 claudins (claudin 1-24) have been identified. Their ability to polymerise and form strands is affected by the cell types [, , ]. They can also form heteropolymers with each other within and between tight junction strands []. Most of the claudins (claudin-12 being the exception) have a C-terminal PDZ-binding motif that can interact with other PDZ domain proteins, such as scaffolding protein, ZO-1, -2 and -3 []. They also interact with non-tight junction proteins, such as cell adhesion proteins EpCam and tetraspanins and the signaling proteins, ephrin A and B and their receptors, EphA and EphB [].Claudin-16 was originally termed paracellin-1. It was re-classified as claudin-16 on the basis of its sequence similarity to the claudin family[]. Claudin-16 is involved in renal paracellular Mg2+ resorption and is required for selective paracellular conductance []. Defects in the claudin-16 gene are associated with an autosomal recessive chronic interstitial nephritis with diffuse zonal fibrosis (CINF) [, ]. | Short Name: | Claudin16 |
