Ninjurin family proteins are muli-pass membrane proteins induced by nerve injury in Schwann cells and dorsal root ganglion neurons. Nunjurin proteins act as homophilic cell adhesion molecules that promote axonal growth. Ninjurin proteins also play a role in the formation and function of other tissues. Ninjurin-1 is widely expressed in adult and embryonic tissues, particularly those with epithelial origin. Ninjurin-2 is also widely expressed, with highest levels in adult bone marrow and peripheral blood lymphocytes and embryo liver, thymus and heart. The genes that encode the Ninjurin proteins map to a region known to cause several genetic disorders, including hereditary sensory neuropathy type I and type II (HSN1 and HSN2). However, no link between mutations in the genes encoding Ninjurins and the diseases have been found.
