Family with sequence similarity 81 member A (FAM81A)

Family with sequence similarity 81 member A (FAM81A) is a protein selectively expressed in the adult brain, specifically at the postsynaptic density of excitatory neurons, particularly in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus[3][5][6][7]. It facilitates the condensation and assembly of postsynaptic proteins, likely regulating them through liquid-liquid phase separation, and is implicated in synaptic organization and potentially in synaptic plasticity[1][2][3][5][6][7]. FAM81A is not known to function as a conventional receptor, enzyme, or transporter, and currently, there are no known drugs that specifically target it. Alterations in the genomic region of FAM81A have been observed in certain cancers, e.g., non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, and it has been studied as a candidate gene in pathological mineralization and neuronal circuit research, but a direct disease-causing or therapeutic target role remains unproven[5]. FAM81A is a postsynaptic density-associated scaffold protein, highly brain-selective, involved in organizing key synaptic assemblies and supporting adult synaptic function. It is not currently considered a classical therapeutic target, and there is no evidence for direct clinical modulation or drug targeting[1][3][5][6][7].

Other names

Protein FAM81AMGC26690FA81A_HUMANQ8TBF8GC15P057518GC15P059730GC15P036552GC15P059664