| Type: | Family | Name: | Patched |
| Description: | The transmembrane protein, patched, is a receptor for the morphogene Sonic Hedgehog. In Drosophila melanogaster, this protein associates with the smoothened protein to transduce hedgehog signals, leading to the activation of wingless, decapentaplegic and patched itself. It participates in cell interactions that establish pattern within the segment and imaginal disks during development. The mouse homologue may play a role in epidermal development. The human Niemann-Pick C1 protein, defects in which cause Niemann-Pick type II disease, is also a member of this family. This protein is involved in the intracellular trafficking of cholesterol, and may play a role in vesicular trafficking in glia, a process that may be crucial for maintaining the structural functional integrity of nerve terminals. | Short Name: | Patched |
