UNIPROT #

P43121

PROTEIN NAME

MCAM(CD146)

SYNONYMS

A32 antigen antibody; CD 146 antibody; CD146 antibody; CD146 antigen antibody; Cell surface glycoprotein MUC18 antibody; Cell surface glycoprotein P1H12 antibody; Gicerin antibody; Mcam antibody; Melanoma adhesion molecule antibody; Melanoma associated antigen A32 antibody; Melanoma associated antigen MUC18 antibody; Melanoma associated glycoprotein MUC18 antibody; Melanoma cell adhesion molecule antibody; Melanoma-associated antigen A32 antibody; Melanoma-associated antigen MUC18 antibody; MelCAM antibody; MUC 18 antibody; MUC18 antibody; MUC18_HUMAN antibody; S endo 1 antibody; S endo 1 endothelial associated antigen antibody; S-endo 1 endothelial-associated antigen antibody

TISSUE SPECIFICITY

Detected in endothelial cells in vascular tissue throughout the body. May appear at the surface of neural crest cells during their embryonic migration. Appears to be limited to vascular smooth muscle in normal adult tissues. Associated with tumor progression and the development of metastasis in human malignant melanoma. Expressed most strongly on metastatic lesions and advanced primary tumors and is only rarely detected in benign melanocytic nevi and thin primary melanomas with a low probability of metastasis.

SUBCELLULAR LOCATION

Cell Membrane

FUNCTION

CD146 is a cell surface glycoprotein, originally identified as a melanoma antigen, whose expression is associated with tumor progression and the development of metastatic potential. Overexpression of CD146 in breast carcinoma cells results in a more cohesive cell growth and in the formation of smaller tumors in nude mice. During implantation and placentation, CD146 is expressed by the intermediate trophoblast in the placental site and binds to its putative receptor in uterine smooth muscle cells thus limiting trophoblastic invasion in the myometrium.