Scientific background: |
CD146 (cluster of differentiation 146) also known as the melanoma cell adhesion molecule (MCAM) or cell surface glycoprotein MUC18, is a 113kDa cell adhesion molecule currently used as a marker for endothelial cell lineage. In humans, the CD146 protein is encoded by the MCAM gene. By radiation hybrid analysis, Kuske and Johnson (1999) mapped the CD146 gene to chromosome 11q23.3.It is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, is homologous to several cell adhesion molecules and is associated with tumor progression and the development of metastasis in human malignant melanoma. CD146 has been demonstrated to appear on a small subset of T and B lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of healthy individuals. The CD146+ T cells display an immunophenotype consistent with effector memory cells and have a distinct gene profile from the CD146- T cells.CD146 has been seen as a marker for mesenchymal stem cells isolated from multiple adult and fetal organs, and its expression may be linked to multipotency; mesenchymal stem cells with greater differentiation potential express higher levels of CD146 on the cell surface. |
References: |
1.Bardin, N., Anfosso, F., Masse, J.-M., Cramer, E., Sabatier, F., Le Bivic, A., Sampol, J., Dignat-George, F.Identification of CD146 as a component of the endothelial junction involved in the control of cell-cell cohesion.Blood 98: 3677-3684, 2001.
2.Kuske, M. D. A., Johnson, J. P.Assignment of the human melanoma cell adhesion molecule gene (MCAM) to chromosome 11 band q23.3 by radiation hybrid mapping.Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 87: 258 only, 1999.
3.Taira, E., Nagino, T., Taniura, H., Takaha, N., Kim, C.-H., Kuo, C.-H., Li, B.-S., Higuchi, H., Miki, N.Expression and functional analysis of a novel isoform of gicerin, an immunoglobulin superfamily cell adhesion molecule.J. Biol. Chem. 270: 28681-28687, 1995.
|