but phosphorylation is not catalysed by FJX1. The ectodomain of FAT1 can also be shed from the cell surface by the sheddase ADAM10, with release of this ectodomain a possible new biomarker in pancreatic cancer. FAT1 has also been found to undergo alternative splicing in breast cancer cells undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal (EMT) transition with the addition of 12 amino acids in the cytoplasmic tail. Similar splice variants have also been described for murine Fat1 where alternative splicing of the cytoplasmic tail regulated cell migration. Clinical significance Cancer The FAT1 cadherin has been ascribed both as putative tumour suppressor or oncogene in different contexts. Loss of heterozygosity for FAT1 has been reported in primary oral carcinomas and astrocytic tumours. There are also reports of over expression of FAT1 in different cancers including DCIS breast cancer, melanoma, and leukaemia. References Further reading Biology of bipolar disorder Tumor suppressor genes