HER2 is so named because it has a similar structure to human epidermal growth factor receptor,

or HER1.
Neu is so named because it was derived from a rodent glioblastoma cell line, a type of neural
tumor.

ErbB-2 was named for its similarity to ErbB (avian erythroblastosis oncogene B),
the oncogene later found to code for EGFR

The ErbB family/ EGFR family consists of four plasma membrane-bound receptor tyrosine
kinases.

the ErbB family of proteins contains four receptor tyrosine kinases, structurally related to
the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), its first discovered member

In humans, the family includes

Her1 (ErbB1), EGFR,
Her2 (ErbB2), HER2, Neu (17q)
Her3 (ErbB3), HER2c
Her4 (ErbB4). HER3C,

All four contain an

extracellular ligand binding domain,

a transmembrane domain,

intracellular domain that can interact with a multitude of signaling molecules and exhibit both
ligand-dependent and ligand-independent activity.

Notably, no ligands for HER2 have yet been identified. HER2 can heterodimerise with any of the
other three receptors and is considered to be the preferred dimerisation partner of the other ErbB
receptors.

Dimerisation results in the autophosphorylation of tyrosine residues within the cytoplasmic

domain of the receptors and initiates a variety of signaling pathways.