PDZK1 and cancer: Gene PDZK1IP1 (MAP17): MAP17 and Gene PDZK1IP1 refer to the same protein, meaning there is no functional difference between them; MAP17 is simply the protein's common name, while PDZK1IP1 is the gene that encodes for that protein, essentially the genetic identifier for MAP17; both terms indicate a small, membrane-associated protein that interacts with PDZK1 and is often overexpressed in various cancers.