Monoclonal Anti- CD44 antibody

The CD44 antigen is a cell-surface glycoprotein involved in cell–cell interactions, cell adhesion and migration. In humans, the CD44 antigen is encoded by the CD44 gene.1The CD44 molecule is known to display extensive size heterogeneity, which has been attributed both to alternative splicing and to differential glycosylation within the extracellular domain. The human CD44 gene contains at least 19 exons spanning some 50 kilobases of DNA.2CD44 is necessary for limb development and functions in a novel growth factor presentation mechanism likely relevant in other physiological and pathological situations where a cell surface protein presents a signaling molecule to a neighboring cell.3CD44 also plays a pivotal role in arteriogenesis.4

Spring FA, Dalchau R, Daniels GL, Mallinson G, Judson PA, Parsons SF, Fabre JW, Anstee DJ (May 1988) . "The Ina and Inb blood group antigens are located on a glycoprotein of 80,000 MW (the CDw44 glycoprotein) whose expression is influenced by the In (Lu) gene". Immunology 64 (1) : 37–43. Screaton, G. R., Bell, M. V., Jackson, D. G., Cornelis, F. B., Gerth, U., Bell, J. I. Genomic structure of DNA encoding the lymphocyte homing receptor CD44 reveals at least 12 alternatively spliced exons. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 89: 12160-12164, 1992. Sherman, L., Wainwright, D., Ponta, H., Herrlich, P. A splice variant of CD44 expressed in the apical ectodermal ridge presents fibroblast growth factors to limb mesenchyme and is required for limb outgrowth. Genes Dev. 12: 1058-1071, 1998. van Royen, N., Voskuil, M., Hoefer, I., Jost, M., de Graaf, S., Hedwig, F., Andert, J.-P., Wormhoudt, T. A. M., Hua, J., Hartmann, S., Bode, C., Buschmann, I., Schaper, W., van der Neut, R., Piek, J. J., Pals, S. T. CD44 regulates arteriogenesis in mice and is differentially expressed in patients with poor and good collateralization. Circulation 109: 1647-1652, 2004.