Collapsin response mediator proteins (CRMPs), including CRMP-1 (DRP-1), CRMP-2 (DRP-2 or TOAD64), CRMP-3 (DRP-4), CRMP-4 (DRP-3) and CRMP-5 (DRP-5), mediate signal transduction after exposure of neural cells to the axon guidance molecule Semaphorin 3A (SEMA3A)/collapsin. CRMPs are present in the developing cerebral cortex and neocortical neurons and are responsive to SEMA3A. In the adult brain, the expression of CRMPs is dramatically downregulated. However, they remain expressed in structures that retain their capacity for differentiation and plasticity. CRMP-2 is involved in axonal growth and guidance. The human CRMP-2 gene maps to 8p21.2, a chromosomal region that has been previously shown to have a significant linkage to schizophrenia and to several deficit symptoms of schizophrenia.
