PRICKLE1 is part of the noncanonical or planar cell polarity (WNT/PCP) pathway, in which some WNT family members activate a beta-CATENIN (CTNNB1)-independent pathway. PRICKLE1 is part of a gene family encoding proteins containing a highly conserved PET domain, which mediates Prickle1-protein-binding interactions.

In human adult thalamus, hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and cerebellum, PRICKLE1 is mostly expressed in neurons rather than glia. These findings demonstrate that PRICKLE1 is expressed in multiple areas of the brain thought to be involved in generating seizures (neurons of thalamus, hippocampus, and cerebral cortex) and ataxia (cerebellar neurons).

Theoretically, PRICKLE1 is said to be an 831-amino acid protein, which contains 3 N-terminal LIM domains and 3 C-terminal nuclear localization signals. It also contains 4 N-glycosylation sites, 2 PKA phosphorylation sites, and a C-terminal CIIS (cys-ile-ile-ser) prenylation motif.