Western blot analysis of Shank3 in rat brain membrane lysates using a 1:1000 dilution of SMC-336. 

Shank proteins make up a family of scaffold proteins identified through their
 interaction with a variety of membrane and cytoplasmic proteins (3). 
Shank proteins at postsynaptic sites of excitatory synapses play roles 
in signal transmission into the postsynaptic neuron. Shank proteins are 
also crucial in receptor tyrosine kinase signaling; specifically, Shank3
 can mediate Erk-MAPK and P13K signaling which is crucial for tubule 
formation (4). Shank3 is also one of the latest genes to be associated 
with autism. A mutation of a single copy of Shank3 on chromosome 22q13 
can result in language and/or social communication disorders (5).

 1. Hille B. (2001) Ion Channels of Excitable Membranes, 3rd Ed., Sinauer Associated Inc.: Sunderland, MA USA.
 2. www.iochannels.org
 3. Sheng M., and Kim E. (2000) Journal of Cell Science. 113: 1851-1856.
 4. Schuetz G., et al. (2004) JCB. 167(5): 645-952.
 5. Durand C.M., et al. (2007) Nature Genetics. 39: 25-27.