| Gene Symbol | COL4A2 |
| Aliases | COL4A2PROTEIN |
| Function | COL4A2 encodes the alpha-2 chain of type IV collagen, a major structural component of basement membranes throughout the body. |
| Subcellular Localization | ** | Extracellular matrix (basement membrane) | |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000134871 |
| GeneCards | COL4A2 |
| Human Protein Atlas | COL4A2 |
| Endothelial support | Provides the substrate for endothelial cell adhesion via α1β1 and α2β1 integrin receptors |
| Pericyte anchoring | Pericytes attach to the basement membrane via integrin and dystroglycan complexes; collagen IV is the primary anchoring substrate |
| Astrocyte endfoot attachment | Astrocyte endfeet contact the abluminal basement membrane through dystroglycan and aquaporin-4 complexes |
| Selective permeability | The collagen IV network acts as a charge- and size-selective filter, restricting passage of plasma proteins |
| Growth factor reservoir | Binds and presents VEGF, PDGF-BB, and FGF-2 to regulate angiogenesis and vessel stability |
| Associated Diseases | neurodegeneration |
| Databases | GeneCardsUniProtNCBI GeneHPASTRING |