P16422

The epithelial cell adhesion molecule Ep-CAM, which is also designated tumor-associated calcium signal transducer 1 and MK-1, is a monomeric membrane glycoprotein that is expressed in most normal human epithelium and carcinomas. The human Ep-CAM gene encodes a 314 amino acid protein that is expressed as two forms, a major form and a minor form, which are reduced upon treatment with the amino-glycosylation inhibitor tunicamycin. Ep-CAM is overexpressed in a variety of carcinomas and is, therefore, a potential target for the visualization and therapy of human solid tumors. Ep-CAM contains an extracellular domain containing two epidermal growth factor-like repeats, followed by a cysteine poor region, which is necessary for the adhesion properties of the molecule.