This CLDN11 gene encodes a member of the claudin family. Claudins are integral membrane proteins and components of tight junction strands. Tight junction strands serve as a physical barrier to prevent solutes and water from passing freely through the paracellular space between epithelial or endothelial cell sheets, and also play critical roles in maintaining cell polarity and signal transductions. The protein encoded by this CLDN11 gene is a major component of central nervous system (CNS) myelin and plays an important role in regulating proliferation and migration of oligodendrocytes. Mouse studies showed that the gene deficiency results in deafness and loss of the Sertoli cell epithelial phenotype in the testis. This protein is a tight junction protein at the human blood-testis barrier (BTB), and the BTB disruption is related to a dysfunction of this gene. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been identified.[provided by RefSeq, Aug 2010]
OMIM-Description for CLDN11 / Claudin-11
.zh=CLDN11 / Claudin-11
Claudin-11 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CLDN11 gene. It belongs to the group of claudins. The protein encoded by this CLDN11 gene belongs to the claudin family of tight junction associated proteins and is a major component of central nervous system myelin that is necessary for normal CNS function. There is growing evidence that the protein determines the permeability between layers of myelin sheaths via focal adhesion and, with its expression highly regulated during development, may play an important role in cellular proliferation and migration. In addition, CLDN11 is a candidate autoantigen in the development of autoimmune demyelinating disease.