The PCDHA12 gene is a member of the protocadherin alpha gene cluster, one of three related gene clusters tandemly linked on chromosome five, which demonstrate an unusual genomic organization similar to that of B-cell and T-cell receptor gene clusters. These neural cadherin-like cell adhesion proteins are integral plasma membrane proteins which may play a role in the establishment and function of specific cell-cell connections in the brain. Alternative splicing has been observed and additional variants have been suggested but their full-length nature has yet to be determined.
