The members here are composed of the immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domain in neuregulins (NRGs). NRGs are signaling molecules which participate in cell-cell interactions in the nervous system, breast, heart, and other organ systems, and are implicated in the pathology of diseases including schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, and breast cancer. There are four members of the neuregulin gene family (NRG-1, NRG-2, NRG-3, and NRG-4). The NRG-1 protein, binds to and activates the tyrosine kinases receptors ErbB3 and ErbB4, initiating signaling cascades. The other NRGs proteins bind one or the other or both of these ErbBs. NRG-1 has multiple functions: in the brain it regulates various processes such as radial glia formation and neuronal migration, dendritic development, and expression of neurotransmitters receptors, while in the peripheral nervous system NRG-1 regulates processes such as target cell differentiation, and Schwann cell survival. There are many NRG-1 isoforms which arise from the alternative splicing of mRNA. Less is known of the functions of the other NRGs. NRG-2 and NRG-3 are expressed predominantly in the nervous system. NRG-2 is expressed by motor neurons and terminal Schwann cells, and is concentrated near synaptic sites and may be a signal that regulates synaptic differentiation. NRG-4 has been shown to direct pancreatic islet cell development towards the delta-cell lineage.
Jiyao W et al.(2023). "The conserved domain database in 2023.",