Mucins are a family of heavily glycosylated high molecular weight glycoproteins. Total 21 mucins have been identified to date. Mucins are well known for its involvement in the protection and lubrication of luminal epithelial surfaces. MUC1, a transmembranemucins, has been shown to be involved in several signaling pathways, including Ras, beta-catenin, p120 catenin, p53 and estrogen receptor alpha. When MUC1 forms a complex with beta-catenin, it enters the nucleus to activate T-cell factor/leukocyte enhancing factor 1 transcription factors and gene expression. In addition, MUC1 may inhibit cell-cell and cell-stroma interactions and function as a signal transducer, participating in cancer progression. MUC1 is expressed in many types of epithelial cell in gastrointerstinal tract, lung, breast, pancreas and genitourinary tract.
Mucins are a family of heavily glycosylated high molecular weight glycoproteins. Total 21 mucins have been identified to date. Mucins are well known for its involvement in the protection and lubrication of luminal epithelial surfaces. MUC1, a transmembranemucins, has been shown to be involved in several signaling pathways, including Ras, beta-catenin, p120 catenin, p53 and estrogen receptor alpha. When MUC1 forms a complex with beta-catenin, it enters the nucleus to activate T-cell factor/leukocyte enhancing factor 1 transcription factors and gene expression. In addition, MUC1 may inhibit cell-cell and cell-stroma interactions and function as a signal transducer, participating in cancer progression. MUC1 is expressed in many types of epithelial cell in gastrointerstinal tract, lung, breast, pancreas and genitourinary tract.