laminin subunit alpha-2; laminin M chain; merosin heavy chain (LAMA2, LAMM)

Function

• see laminin
• subunit of laminin-2 (merosin) & laminin-4 (S-merosin)

Structure

• alpha-helical domains I & II are thought to interact with other laminin chains to form a coiled coil structure
• domains VI, IV & G are globular
• contains 17 laminin EGF-like domains
• contains 5 laminin G-like domains
• contains 2 laminin IV type A domains
• contains 1 laminin N-terminal domain

Compartment

• secreted, extracellular matrix, basement membrane
• major component of basement membrane

Expression

• expressed in placenta, striated muscle, peripheral nerve, cardiac muscle, pancreas, lung, spleen, kidney, adrenal gland, skin, testis, meninges, choroid plexus, & some other regions of the brain
• not expressed in liver, thymus & bone

Pathology

• defects in LAMA2 are the cause of merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy type 1A

Laboratory

• laminin alpha 2 in tissue

More general terms

• laminin-alpha (laminin A)
• glycoprotein
• protein subunit
• matrix protein
• cell adhesion protein

Component of

• laminin-2 (merosin)

Database

• Entrez gene: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=gene&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=Graphics&list_uids=3908
• Kegg: http://www.genome.jp/dbget-bin/www_bget?hsa:3908
• OMIM: https://mirror.omim.org/entry/156225
• OMIM: https://mirror.omim.org/entry/607855
• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P24043.html