Receptor tyrosine kinase which binds promiscuously GPI-anchored ephrin-A family ligands residing on adjacent cells, leading to contact-dependent bidirectional signaling into neighboring cells. The signaling pathway downstream of the receptor is referred to as forward signaling while the signaling pathway downstream of the ephrin ligand is referred to as reverse signaling. The GPI-anchored ephrin-A EFNA2, EFNA3, and EFNA5 are able to activate EPHA8 through phosphorylation. With EFNA5 may regulate integrin-mediated cell adhesion and migration on fibronectin substrate but also neurite outgrowth. During development of the nervous system also plays a role in axon guidance. Downstream effectors of the EPHA8 signaling pathway include FYN which promotes cell adhesion upon activation by EPHA8 and the MAP kinases in the stimulation of neurite outgrowth 