CD144/VE-Cadherin [16B1]

This gene is a classical cadherin from the cadherin superfamily and is located in a six-cadherin cluster in a region on the long arm of chromosome 16 that is involved in loss of heterozygosity events in breast and prostate cancer. The encoded protein is a calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion glycoprotein comprised of five extracellular cadherin repeats, a transmembrane region and a highly conserved cytoplasmic tail. Functioning as a classic cadherin by imparting to cells the ability to adhere in a homophilic manner, the protein may play an important role in endothelial cell biology through control of the cohesion and organization of the intercellular junctions. An alternative splice variant has been described but its full length sequence has not been determined.