Background：

This gene encodes a member of the desmocollin protein subfamily. Desmocollins， along with desmogleins， are cadherin-like transmembrane glycoproteins that are major components of the desmosome. Desmosomes are cell-cell junctions that help resist shearing forces and are found in high concentrations in cells subject to mechanical stress. This gene is found in a cluster with other desmocollin family members on chromosome 18. Mutations in this gene are associated with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia-11， and reduced protein expression has been described in several types of cancer. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants.