Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (ESAM)

Endothelial cell-selective adhesion molecule (ESAM) is a new member of the immunoglobulin superfamily which is selectively expressed by vascular endothelial cells. Although ESAM mediates homophilic interaction between endothelial cells, the role of ESAM in glomerular permeability remains unknown. Cell Adhesion Molecules are proteins located on the cell surface involved with the binding with other cells or with the extracellular matrix in the process called cell adhesion.These proteins are typically transmembrane receptors and are composed of three domains: an intracellular domain that interacts with the cytoskeleton, a transmembrane domain, and an extracellular domain that interacts either with other CAMs of the same kind or with other CAMs or the extracellular matrix.