Protein delta homolog 1, delta like non-canonical Notch ligand 1, fetal antigen 1 or preadipocyte factor 1 is a

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...

that in humans is encoded by the ''DLK1''

gene In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...

. It is expressed as a

transmembrane protein A transmembrane protein (TP) is a type of integral membrane protein that spans the entirety of the cell membrane. Many transmembrane proteins function as gateways to permit the transport of specific substances across the membrane. They frequentl ...

, but a soluble form cleaved off by

ADAM17 A disintegrin and metalloprotease 17 (ADAM17), also called TACE (''tumor necrosis factor-α-converting enzyme''), is a 70-kDa enzyme that belongs to the ADAM protein family of disintegrins and metalloproteases. Chemical characteristics ADAM17 ...

is active in inhibiting

adipogenesis Adipogenesis is the formation of adipocytes (fat cells) from stem cells. It involves 2 phases, determination, and terminal differentiation. Determination is mesenchymal stem cells committing to the adipocyte precursor cells, also known as preadipocy ...

, the differentiation of pre-adipocytes into

adipocytes Adipocytes, also known as lipocytes and fat cells, are the cells that primarily compose adipose tissue, specialized in storing energy as fat. Adipocytes are derived from mesenchymal stem cells which give rise to adipocytes through adipogenesis. I ...

. It is a member of the

EGF-like Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a protein that stimulates cell growth and differentiation by binding to its receptor, EGFR. Human EGF is 6-k Da and has 53 amino acid residues and three intramolecular disulfide bonds. EGF was originally desc ...

family of

homeotic In evolutionary developmental biology, homeosis is the transformation of one organ into another, arising from mutation in or misexpression of certain developmentally critical genes, specifically homeotic genes. In animals, these developmental ge ...

proteins. Part of the Dlk1-

DIO3 Thyroxine 5-deiodinase also known as type III iodothyronine deiodinase (EC number 1.21.99.3) is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''DIO3'' gene. This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction : 3,3',5'-triiodo-L-thyronine + iod ...

imprinting control region, this gene is one involved in the

epigenetic In biology, epigenetics is the study of stable phenotypic changes (known as ''marks'') that do not involve alterations in the DNA sequence. The Greek prefix '' epi-'' ( "over, outside of, around") in ''epigenetics'' implies features that are "o ...

process that causes a subset of genes to be regulated based on their parental origin. Such imprinted genes are required for the formation of the

placenta The placenta is a temporary embryonic and later fetal organ that begins developing from the blastocyst shortly after implantation. It plays critical roles in facilitating nutrient, gas and waste exchange between the physically separate mater ...

as well as the development of cellular lineages such as those derived from the

mesoderm The mesoderm is the middle layer of the three germ layers that develops during gastrulation in the very early development of the embryo of most animals. The outer layer is the ectoderm, and the inner layer is the endoderm.Langman's Medical E ...

and

ectoderm The ectoderm is one of the three primary germ layers formed in early embryonic development. It is the outermost layer, and is superficial to the mesoderm (the middle layer) and endoderm (the innermost layer). It emerges and originates from t ...

References

Further reading