This family consists of eukaryotic Sprouty protein homologues. Sprouty proteins have been revealed as inhibitors of the Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, a pathway crucial for developmental processes initiated by activation of various receptor tyrosine kinases [1]. The sprouty gene has found to be expressed in the the brain, cochlea, nasal organs, teeth, salivary gland, lungs, digestive tract, kidneys and limb buds in mice [2].

1: Expression of Sprouty genes 1, 2 and 4 during mouse organogenesis. Zhang S, Lin Y, Itaranta P, Yagi A, Vainio S; Mech Dev 2001;109:367-370. PMID:11731251

2: The cysteine-rich sprouty translocation domain targets mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitory proteins to phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate in plasma membranes. Lim J, Yusoff P, Wong ES, Chandramouli S, Lao DH, Fong CW, Guy GR; Mol Cell Biol 2002;22:7953-7966. PMID:12391162