Acetyl-Claudin-6 – Ion Channels and Transporters

Acetly-Claudin-6 is derived from the tight junction protein Claudin-6 which is encoded by the CLDN6 gene and can be found within epithelial cell to cell contacts. The Claudin family are transmembrane proteins containing two extracellular loops and are involved in maintaining cell polarity and controlling paracellular ion flux. The expression of Claudin-6 is most commonly seen in early embryonic development where it plays a role in the regulation of blastocyst formation through tight junction enhancement. It is also an important factor for epidermal differentiation and barrier formation. Although it is more commonly seen in embryonic development it is also expressed in mammary epithelial cells. Studies have also shown Cldn6 to be a tumour suppressor in breast cancer.