The protein encoded by the EDA gene is a type II membrane protein that can be cleaved by furin to produce a secreted form. The encoded protein, which belongs to the tumor necrosis factor family, acts as a homotrimer and may be involved in cell-cell signaling during the development of ectodermal organs. Defects in the EDA gene are a cause of ectodermal dysplasia, anhidrotic, (this is also known as X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia). Several transcript variants encoding many different isoforms have been found for this gene. AltName: ectodermal dysplasia protein; Ectodysplasin-A; EDA protein homolog; Tabby protein; Ectodysplasin-A, membrane form; secreted form EDA-A5.