Institution: | aINSERM U837 — JPARC; 1, place de Verdun, 59045 Lille, France bIMPRT/IFR114; 1, place de Verdun, 59045 Lille, France cUniversity of Lille 2; 1, place de Verdun, 59045 Lille, France dCHRU of Lille; 1, place de Verdun, 59045 Lille, France |
Abstract: | Epithelial membrane-bound mucins are high molecular mass glycoproteins that may be also secreted or released into the extracellular environment. The genomic and multi-domain organizations of human large epithelial membrane-bound mucins are reviewed here with the purpose to clarify the literature on the subject with the help of mouse sequences. This family of complex molecules contains at least MUC3A, MUC12, MUC17, all organized in a cluster of genes, MUC4 and likely MUC16. In addition, we discuss the splicing events reported for these mucins with an emphasis on the human mucin MUC4. |