Two additional JNK family members have been identified as JNK2 and JNK3. JIP-1 (for JNK interacting protein-1) has been identified as a cytoplasmic inhibitor of JNK that retains JNK in the cytoplasm, thereby inhibiting JNK-regulated gene expression. Evidence suggests that JNK1 and JNK2 bind to JIP-1 with greater affinity than to ATF-2 and c-Jun, which are targets of the JNK signaling pathway. JIP-1 contains an amino terminal JNK binding domain and a carboxy terminal SH3 domain. ATF-2 and c-Jun also contain the JNK binding domain and are thought to compete with JIP-1 for JNK binding. Multiple splice variants of JIP-1, including JIP-1b, JIP-1c (also designated islet-brain 1 or IB-1), JIP-2a, JIP-2b and JIP-3, have been identified in brain.