The Rst-Neph family of cell adhesion molecules in Gallus gallus.

The Rst-Neph family comprises an evolutionarily conserved group of single-pass transmembrane glycoproteins that belong to the immunoglobulin superfamily and participate in a wide range of cell adhesion and recognition events in both vertebrates and invertebrates. In mammals and fish, three Rst-Neph members, named Neph1-3, are present. Besides being widely expressed in the embryo, particularly in the developing nervous system, they also contribute to the formation and integrity of the urine filtration apparatus in the slit diaphragm of kidney glomerular podocytes, where they form homodimers, as well as heterodimers with Nephrin, another immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion molecule.