Bmp8a - bone morphogenetic protein 8a

This gene encodes a secreted ligand of the TGF-beta (transforming growth factor-beta) superfamily of proteins. Ligands of this family bind various TGF-beta receptors leading to recruitment and activation of SMAD family transcription factors that regulate gene expression. The encoded preproprotein is proteolytically processed to generate each subunit of the disulfide-linked homodimer. This protein may play a role in development of the reproductive system. Mice lacking a functional copy of this gene exhibit degeneration of germ cells and the epididymal epithelium. This gene may have arose from a gene duplication event and its gene duplicate is also present on chromosome 4. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2016]