P20273

The B lymphocyte specific CD22 antigen, also designated B-lymphocyte cell adhesion molecule (BLCAM), sialic acid-binding Ig-like lectin 2 (Siglec-2) and Leu-14, is a type I integral membrane glycoprotein, structurally similar to other cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), which acts as a regulator of B cell signaling. CD22 is expressed as both a cytoplasmic and membrane protein during discrete stages of B cell lymphocyte differentiation. The cytoplasmic form of CD22, expressed early in B cell development, is a useful marker for acute lymphocytic leukemia. The membrane form of CD22 is expressed in mature B cells prior to their differentiation into plasma cells. Alternative splicing results in two different isoforms, CD22α and CD22β. The CD22β monomer is the principally occurring isoform but CD22 also appears as a heterodimer of CD22β and the shorter isoform, CD22α.