Description
Activin A receptor, type IIA, also known as ACVR2A, is a human gene.1 ACVR2A is an activin type 2 receptor. This gene encodes activin A type II receptor. Activins are dimeric growth and differentiation factors which belong to the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily of structurally related signaling proteins. Activins signal through a heteromeric complex of receptor serine kinases which include at least two type I (I and IB) and two type II (II and IIB) receptors. These receptors are all transmembrane proteins, composed of a ligand-binding extracellular domain with cysteine-rich region, a transmembrane domain, and a cytoplasmic domain with predicted serine/threonine specificity. Type I receptors are essential for signaling; and type II receptors are required for binding ligands and for expression of type I receptors. Type I and II receptors form a stable complex after ligand binding, resulting in phosphorylation of type I receptors by type II receptors. Type II receptors are considered to be constitutively active kinases. Activin type II receptors are highly conserved. Human, mouse and rat type II activin receptors share greater than 98% amino acid sequence homology. Recombinant soluble activin type II receptors bind activin with high affinity, and are potent activin antagonists