GDF3

Growth differentiation factor-3 (GDF3), also known as Vg-related gene 2 (Vgr-2) is protein that in humans is encoded by the GDF3 gene.^[5] GDF3 belongs to the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) superfamily. It has high similarity to other TGF-β superfamily members including Vg1 (found in frogs) and GDF1.^[5]

GDF3
Identifiers
Aliases	GDF3, KFS3, MCOP7, MCOPCB6, growth differentiation factor 3
External IDs	OMIM: 606522; MGI: 95686; HomoloGene: 7336; GeneCards: GDF3; OMA:GDF3 - orthologs
Gene location (Human) Chr. Chromosome 12 (human)[1] Band 12p13.31 Start 7,689,784 bp[1] End 7,695,775 bp[1]
Gene location (Mouse) Chr. Chromosome 6 (mouse)[2] Band 6 F1|6 57.7 cM Start 122,582,362 bp[2] End 122,587,046 bp[2]
RNA expression pattern Bgee Human Mouse (ortholog) Top expressed in gonad testicle spleen muscle tissue lymph node smooth muscle tissue right adrenal gland adrenal cortex left adrenal cortex right adrenal cortex Top expressed in blastocyst morula embryo gastrula epiblast embryo submandibular gland right ventricle knee joint bone marrow More reference expression data BioGPS n/a
Gene ontology Molecular function cytokine activity transforming growth factor beta receptor binding growth factor activity protein kinase binding Cellular component extracellular region extracellular space cytoplasm Biological process eye development response to dietary excess regulation of apoptotic process skeletal system development regulation of cell fate commitment negative regulation of myoblast differentiation endoderm development regulation of MAPK cascade SMAD protein signal transduction cell development somite rostral/caudal axis specification positive regulation of pathway-restricted SMAD protein phosphorylation notochord development formation of anatomical boundary in utero embryonic development negative regulation of BMP signaling pathway negative regulation of epidermal cell differentiation mesoderm development primitive streak formation signal transduction multicellular organism development positive regulation of fat cell differentiation regulation of signaling receptor activity BMP signaling pathway Sources:Amigo / QuickGO
Orthologs Species Human Mouse Entrez 9573 14562 Ensembl ENSG00000184344 ENSMUSG00000030117 UniProt Q9NR23 Q07104 RefSeq (mRNA) NM_020634 NM_008108 RefSeq (protein) NP_065685 NP_032134 Location (UCSC) Chr 12: 7.69 – 7.7 Mb Chr 6: 122.58 – 122.59 Mb PubMed search [3] [4]
Wikidata
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Tissue distribution

Expression of GDF3 occurs in ossifying bone during embryonic development and in the brain, thymus, spleen, bone marrow and adipose tissue of adults.^[6][7]

Function

GDF3 is a bi-functional protein that has some intrinsic activity and also modulate other TGF-β superfamily members, e.g. potentiates the activity of NODAL. It may also inhibit other TGF-β superfamily members (i.e. BMPs), thus regulating the balance between different modes of TGF-beta signaling.^[8] It has been shown to negatively and positively control differentiation of embryonic stem cells in mice and humans.^[9] This molecule plays a role in mesoderm and definitive endoderm formation during the pre-gastrulation stages of development.^[6]