Description
This gene encodes a member of the arm-repeat (armadillo) and plakophilin gene families. Plakophilin proteins contain numerous armadillo repeats, localize to cell desmosomes and nuclei, and participate in linking cadherins to intermediate filaments in the cytoskeleton. This gene may regulate the signaling activity of beta-catenin and is required to maintain transcription of genes that control intracellular calcium cycling including ryanodine receptor 2, ankyrin-B, triadin, and calcium channel, voltage-dependent, L type, alpha 1C. Mutations in this gene are associated with different inherited cardiac conditions including Arrythmogenic Cardiomyopathy, Brugada Syndrome, and Idiopathic Ventricular Fibrillation. A processed pseudogene with high similarity to this gene has been mapped to chromosome 12p13.