[5][6] Receptor protein tyrosine kinases transduce extracellular signals across the cell membrane.

The protein encoded by this gene an intracellular domain with tyrosine kinase homology and may function as a cell adhesion molecule.

Four transcript variants encoding four different isoforms have been found for this gene.

[6] PTK7 serves as a context-dependent signalling switch for the Wnt pathways (particularly in planar cell polarity related functions such as convergent extension and neural crest cell migration) and appears to have similar functions for plexin and Flt-1 pathways.

[8] Pfizer is targeting PTK7 for cancer by generating an antibody-drug conjugate against the PTK7 receptor.