Biochemistry, Merosin

Excerpt

Merosin collectively is a term that refers to a group of laminins that share the alpha2 subunit encoded by the LAMA2 gene. Laminins are a family of high molecular weight glycoproteins that function as extracellular matrix components of the structural basement membrane. They are heterotrimers composed of homologous alpha, beta, and gamma polypeptide chains. Individually, these chains have a distinct organization of structural domains and can exhibit biological activities, including self-assembly and protein interaction. The alpha2 subunit is present in laminin 2 (merosin) and laminin 4 (s-merosin), two laminin types that play an integral role in skeletal muscle.