Muc4 - mucin 4

The major constituents of mucus, the viscous secretion that covers epithelial surfaces such as those in the trachea, colon, and cervix, are highly glycosylated proteins called mucins. These glycoproteins play important roles in the protection of the epithelial cells and have been implicated in epithelial renewal and differentiation. This gene encodes an integral membrane glycoprotein found on the cell surface. A large 5' exon encodes at least 15 tandem repeats of 124-126 amino acids. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]