DDR1 Antibody

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) play a key role in the communication of cells with their microenvironment. These molecules are involved in the regulation of cell growth, differentiation and metabolism. DDR1 is an RTK that is widely expressed in normal and transformed epithelial cells and is activated by various types of collagen. It belongs to a subfamily of tyrosine kinase receptors with a homology region to the Dictyostelium discoideum protein discoidin I in their extracellular domain. Its autophosphorylation is achieved by all collagens so far tested (type I to type VI). In situ studies and Northern-blot analysis show that expression of DDR1 is restricted to epithelial cells, particularly in the kidney, lung, gastrointestinal tract, and brain. In addition, it is significantly over-expressed in several human tumors from breast, ovarian, esophageal, and pediatric brain.