Mfrp - membrane frizzled-related protein

The protein encoded by this gene contains a region with similarity to the cysteine-rich domain (CRD) of frizzled, a gene originally found in Drosophila that controls tissue polarity. This protein functions in eye development, where it is necessary for the maintenance of photoreceptor outer segments. Mutations in this gene cause retinal degeneration 6 in mice, which gives rise to a mouse model for human retinitis punctata albescens. Bicistronic transcripts composed of the coding sequences for this gene (Mfrp) and the C1q and tumor necrosis factor related protein 5 gene (C1qtnf5) have been identified, and the resulting products can interact with each other. Co-transcription of C1qtnf5 and Mfrp has been observed in both human and mouse. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Jun 2010]