ErbB4 alternative splicing mediates fetal mouse alveolar type II cell differentiation in vitro.

Alternative splicing (AS) of the ErbB4 receptor, involving mutually exclusive exon inclusion, creates Jma and Jmb isoforms with distinct differences in receptor processing and function. The Jma isoform of ErbB4 promotes differentiation of fetal lung alveolar type II cells. The AS is mediated in part by the RNA-binding protein HUB. The molecular mechanism of AS for ErbB4 has not been previously described. The regulation of ErbB4 AS has important implications in the development of organs, such as the lung, brain, and heart, and for disease, including cancer.