Members of the trefoil family are characterized by having at least one copy of the trefoil motif, a 40-amino acid domain that contains three conserved disulfides. They are stable secretory proteins expressed in gastrointestinal mucosa. Their functions are not defined, but they may protect the mucosa from insults, stabilize the mucus layer and affect healing of the epithelium. This gene is expressed in goblet cells of the intestines and colon. This gene and two other related trefoil family member genes are found in a cluster on chromosome 21.
Categories
Primary Antibodies
Clonality
polyclonal
Description
Trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) belongs to the TFF-domain peptide family which consists of three small secreted proteins (TFF1, TFF2, TFF3) that are expressed by mucous-secreting epithelia. TFF3 is a major constituent in the goblet cells in small and large intestines, especially a typical secretary peptide of the normal human antral and pyloric gastric mucosa. TFF3 is essential in regulating cell migration and maintaining normal GI mucosal integrity. TFF3 has been reported to be overexpressed at the gene and the protein level in human neoplasms such as prostate, breast, and colon cancer. TFF3 is involved in tumor cell scattering, angiogenesis, and invasion.