biology

GFRA3

GFRA3 is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand GFRA3 rather than just read about it. In short: GDNF family receptor alpha-3 (GFRα3), also known as the artemin receptor, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the GFRA3 gene. Function The protein encoded by this gene is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol(GPI)-linked cell surface receptor and a member of the GDNF receptor family.

Key takeaways

GFRA3 belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect GFRA3 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of GFRA3 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

GDNF family receptor alpha-3 (GFRα3), also known as the artemin receptor, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the GFRA3 gene.

Function The protein encoded by this gene is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol(GPI)-linked cell surface receptor and a member of the GDNF receptor family. It forms a signaling receptor complex with RET tyrosine kinase receptor and binds the artemin ligand. In mouse models of osteoarthritis, GFRα3 was upregulated in sensory nerves. Treating arthritic mice with monoclonal antibodies that bind to GFRα3 prevents artemin from binding there and signaling pain. Treated mice were able to use their limbs again two hours post-treatment.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with GFRA3

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what GFRA3 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to GFRA3 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about GFRA3 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of GFRA3

In research: GFRA3 appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses GFRA3 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: GFRA3 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Genes on human chromosome 5, Human chromosome 5 gene stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for GFRA3 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study GFRA3 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what GFRA3 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain GFRA3 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is GFRA3 in simple terms?

GDNF family receptor alpha-3 (GFRα3), also known as the artemin receptor, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the GFRA3 gene. Function The protein encoded by this gene is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol(GPI)-linked cell surface receptor and a member of the GDNF receptor family.

Why does GFRA3 matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study GFRA3?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on GFRA3.