HomeAboutRankingsData Sources
© 2026 GeneE
🧬
GeneE
10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 15 days ago
ⓘGeneE is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
TMC7
transmembrane channel like 7
Chromosome 16 · 16p12.3
NCBI Gene: 79905Ensembl: ENSG00000170537.13HGNC: HGNC:23000UniProt: H3BNW8
15PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
ion channel inhibitor activitymechanosensitive monoatomic ion channel activitysensory perception of mechanical stimulusplasma membraneHerpes Zosterazoospermiapartial chromosome Y deletionFemale infertility due to fertilization defect
✦AI Summary

TMC7 (transmembrane channel-like 7) is a member of the evolutionarily conserved TMC protein family that serves multiple physiological functions across different tissues. In spermatogenesis, TMC7 is specifically expressed in the testis and is essential for male fertility by regulating acrosome biogenesis during spermiogenesis 1. TMC7 localizes to the cis-Golgi region in round spermatids and maintains pH and ion homeostasis necessary for proper Golgi morphology and vesicle fusion to the developing acrosome 1. Additionally, TMC7 regulates trans-Golgi network (TGN)-derived vesicles and may function as a chloride transport channel 2. In the nervous system, TMC7 acts as an inhibitory modulator of PIEZO2 mechanosensitive channels in dorsal root ganglion neurons through physical interactions with PIEZO2 and cytoskeletal β-actin 3. This modulation affects mechanosensory transduction, with TMC7 deletion enhancing sensitivity to mechanical stimuli and altering rapidly adapting current properties 3. TMC7 also shows clinical relevance as a prognostic biomarker in pancreatic carcinoma and renal clear cell carcinoma, with expression correlating with survival outcomes 45. The protein appears to have tissue-specific roles while maintaining conserved ion transport functions.

Sources cited
1
TMC7 is specifically expressed in testis, essential for acrosome biogenesis, localizes to cis-Golgi region, and maintains pH/ion homeostasis
PMID: 39269275
2
TMC7 inhibits PIEZO2 mechanosensitive channels in DRG neurons through physical interactions with PIEZO2 and β-actin
PMID: 38568807
3
TMC7 regulates TGN-derived vesicles and may function as chloride transport channel
PMID: 39732242
4
TMC7 serves as prognostic biomarker in pancreatic carcinoma
PMID: 30639415
5
TMC7 is prognostic biomarker in renal clear cell carcinoma
PMID: 37468683
Disease Associationsⓘ20
Herpes ZosterOpen Targets
0.27Weak
azoospermiaOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
partial chromosome Y deletionOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
Female infertility due to fertilization defectOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 78Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 72Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
spermatogenic failure, X-linked, 7Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 18Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 27Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 46Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 85Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 20Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 19Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 43Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 45Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 49Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 82Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
spermatogenic failure, X-linked, 5Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
spermatogenic failure, X-linked, 3Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 65Open Targets
0.07Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
TMC5Shared pathway100%TMC3Shared pathway100%LRRIQ3Protein interaction74%LASP1Shared pathway50%TMC4Shared pathway50%TMEM37Shared pathway50%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Brain
100%
Heart
32%
Lung
21%
Liver
8%
Ovary
4%
Bone Marrow
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
TMC7TMC5TMC3LRRIQ3LASP1TMC4TMEM37
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q7Z402
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
0.80LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.63 [0.50–0.80]
RankingsWhere TMC7 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #15,716of 20,598
    Most Researched15
  • #6,586of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)0.80
Genes detectedTMC7
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
TMC7 deficiency causes acrosome biogenesis defects and male infertility in mice.
PMID: 39269275
Elife · 2024
1.00
2
TMC7 functions as a suppressor of Piezo2 in primary sensory neurons blunting peripheral mechanotransduction.
PMID: 38568807
Cell Rep · 2024
0.90
3
Identification of candidate diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for pancreatic carcinoma.
PMID: 30639415
EBioMedicine · 2019
0.80
4
TMC7 is required for spermiogenesis and male fertility by regulating TGN-derived vesicles.
PMID: 39732242
Int J Biol Macromol · 2025
0.70
5
Comprehensive analysis of the prognosis and immune infiltration of TMC family members in renal clear cell carcinoma.
PMID: 37468683
Sci Rep · 2023
0.60