Anti-CD146/Mcam Antibody Picoband® Fluoro488 Conjugated

In humans, the CD146 protein is encoded by the MCAM gene. It is mapped to 9; 9 A5.1. 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. MCAM functions as a receptor for laminin alpha 4, a matrix molecule that is broadly expressed within the vascular wall. Accordingly, MCAM is highly expressed by cells that are components of the blood vessel wall, including vascular endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and pericytes. Its function is still poorly understood, but evidence points to it being part of the endothelial junction associated with the actin cytoskeleton. A member of the Immunoglobulin superfamily, it consists of five Ig domains, a transmembrane domain, and a cytoplasmic region. It is expressed on chicken embryonic spleen and thymus, activated human T cells, endothelial progenitors such as angioblasts and mesenchymal stem cells, and strongly expressed on blood vessel endothelium and smooth muscle.

Plays a role in cell adhesion, and in cohesion of the endothelial monolayer at intercellular junctions in vascular tissue. Its expression may allow melanoma cells to interact with cellular elements of the vascular system, thereby enhancing hematogeneous tumor spread. Could be an adhesion molecule active in neural crest cells during embryonic development. Acts as surface receptor that triggers tyrosine phosphorylation of FYN and PTK2/FAK1, and a transient increase in the intracellular calcium concentration.

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. Sers, C., Kirsch, K., Rothbacher, U., Riethmuller, G., Johnson, J. P. Genomic organization of the melanoma-associated glycoprotein MUC18: implications for the evolution of the immunoglobulin domains. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 90: 8514-8518, 1993.