Glial Cell Line Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptor Alpha 3 (GFRa3)

GFRa3is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol(GPI)-linked cell surface receptor and a member of the GDNF receptor family. It forms a signaling receptor complex with RET tyrosine kinase receptor and binds the ligand, artemin.

The gene has 8 coding exons and a gene structure and organization similar to that of GFRA1. The authors identified 3 polymorphic variants in GFRA3 in a normal control population and found the same variants in patients with Hirschsprung disease, but found no correlation between these variants and the Hirschsprung disease phenotype.GFRA3 does not form a signaling receptor complex with RET for GDNF, NRTN, or PSPN .