CD166/ALCAM [B6]

Activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM), also known as CD166 (cluster of differentiation 166), which is a member of a subfamily of immunoglobulin receptors with five immunoglobulin-like domains (VVC2C2C2) in the extracellular domain. It is expressed on activated leukocytes T cells, B cells and monocytes. ALCAM mediates thymocyte-thymic epithelial cell adhesion via homophilic (ALCAM-ALCAM) and heterophilic (ALCAM-CD6) interactions involving a previously undescribed protein-protein interaction between a member of the scavenger receptor cysteine rich protein superfamily and the immunoglobulin superfamily. This protein binds to T-cell differentiation antigene CD6, and is implicated in the processes of cell adhesion and migration. Multiple alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found.