Induces cartilage and bone formation. May be the osteoinductive factor responsible for the phenomenon of epithelial osteogenesis. Plays a role in calcium regulation and bone homeostasis. Signaling protein involved in regulation of thermogenesis and energy balance. Proposed to increase the peripheral response of brown adipose tissue (BAT) to adrenergic stimulation while acting centrally in the hypothalamus to increase sympathetic output to BAT.; Growth factor of the TGF-beta superfamily that plays important role in various biological processes, including spermatogenesis, osteogenesis, steroidogenesis as well as regulation of energy balance. Initiates the canonical BMP signaling cascade by associating with type I receptor BMPR1A and type II receptor BMPR2. Once all three components are bound together in a complex at the cell surface, BMPR2 phosphorylates and activates BMPR1A. In turn, BMPR1A propagates signal by phosphorylating SMAD1/5/8 that travel to the nucleus and act as activators and repressors of transcription of target genes. In addition, activates the SMAD2/3 pathway.

1. Authors found that Bmp8a, but not Bmp8b, was expressed predominantly in the neonatal mouse spermatogonia. Although most BMPs induce activation of SMADs 1, 5, and 8 (SMAD1/5/8), but not SMADs 2 and 3 (SMAD2/3), they found that BMP8A induced signaling through both sets of transcription factors. PMID: 28465413
2. Observational study of gene-disease association. (HuGE Navigator) PMID: 20424473
3. Observational study of gene-disease association. (HuGE Navigator) PMID: 20237496

Secreted.

TGF-beta family

HGNC: 21650

KEGG: hsa:353500

STRING: 9606.ENSP00000327440

UniGene: Hs.472497