ADAM12 gene encodes a member of the a disintegrin and metalloprotease protein family which is a group of amino acids, are membrane-anchored proteins and have two alternatively spliced transcripts.
This gene encodes a member of the ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloprotease) protein family. ADAMs (short for a disintegrin and metalloproteinase) are a family of single-pass transmembrane and secreted metalloendopeptidases. Endopeptidase or endoproteinase are proteolytic peptidases that break peptide bonds of nonterminal amino acids (i.e. within the molecule), in contrast to exopeptidases, which break peptide bonds from end-pieces of terminal amino acids. 
