biology

TSPAN4

TSPAN4 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 TSPAN4 rather than just read about it. In short: Tetraspanin-4 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the TSPAN4 gene. The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the transmembrane 4 superfamily, also known as the tetraspanin family.

Key takeaways

TSPAN4 belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect TSPAN4 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of TSPAN4 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Tetraspanin-4 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the TSPAN4 gene. The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the transmembrane 4 superfamily, also known as the tetraspanin family. Most of these members are cell-surface proteins that are characterized by the presence of four hydrophobic domains. The proteins mediate signal transduction events that play a role in the regulation of cell development, activation, growth and motility. This encoded protein is a cell surface glycoprotein and is similar in sequence to its family member CD53 antigen. It is known to complex with integrins and other transmembrane 4 superfamily proteins. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been identified.

Interactions TSPAN4 has been shown to interact with CD9, ITGA6, CD29, CD49c and CD81.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with TSPAN4

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what TSPAN4 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 TSPAN4 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 TSPAN4 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 TSPAN4

In research: TSPAN4 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 TSPAN4 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: TSPAN4 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Genes on human chromosome 11, Human chromosome 11 gene stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for TSPAN4 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 TSPAN4 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what TSPAN4 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 TSPAN4 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is TSPAN4 in simple terms?

Tetraspanin-4 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the TSPAN4 gene. The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the transmembrane 4 superfamily, also known as the tetraspanin family.

Why does TSPAN4 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 TSPAN4?

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 TSPAN4.