Calreticulin: roles in cell-surface protein expression
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Updated: Apr 23, 2026

Extracellular Protein Microarray Technology for High Throughput Detection of Low Affinity Receptor-Ligand Interactions
Published on: January 7, 2019
Yue Jiang1, Sandeepa Dey2, Hiroaki Matsunami3
1Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University Program of Genetics and Genomics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA. yj31@duke.edu.
Abstract:
In order to perform their designated functions, proteins require precise subcellular localizations. For cell-surface proteins, such as receptors and channels, they are able to transduce signals only when properly targeted to the cell membrane. Calreticulin is a multi-functional chaperone protein involved in protein folding, maturation, and trafficking. However, evidence has been accumulating that calreticulin can also negatively regulate the surface expression of certain receptors and channels. In these instances, depletion of calreticulin enhances cell-surface expression and function. In this review, we discuss the role of calreticulin with a focus on its negative effects on the expression of cell-surface proteins.
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