Using degenerate PCR, Calvo and Vega (1993) isolated a novel sequence closely related to both the CD36 thrombospondin/collagen receptor and to lysosomal integral membrane protein II (LIMPII). This novel gene was termed CLA1 for 'CD36 and LIMPII analogous-1.' Calvo and Vega (1993) isolated 2 alternatively spliced CLA1 cDNAs predicting proteins of 409 and 509 amino acids from a human placenta cDNA library. Calvo and Vega (1993) stated that the full-length CLA1 sequence predicts a glycoprotein having 2 transmembrane domains, 2 short cytoplasmic tails, and a large extracellular loop. They used immunofluorescence to show that the protein is found on the plasma membrane. Northern blot analysis revealed a 2.9-kb mRNA in several cell lines.