Description
Product Characteristics: CD55, also known as decay accelerating factor (DAF), is a 64-73 kDa GPI-anchored single chain glycoprotein that is expressed on all cells in contact with serum, including all hematopoietic cells and the vascular endothelium. A soluble form of CD55 is present in plasma and body fluids. CD55 is a member of the regulator of complement activity (RCA) family of proteins and is thought to play a role in the protection of cells from damage by autologous complement by preventing the amplification steps of the complement cascade. CD55 expression increases upon T cell activation and antibodies to CD55 are mitogenic in the presence of phorbol esters.
Target Information: This gene encodes a protein involved in the regulation of the complement cascade. The encoded glycoprotein is also known as the decay-accelerating factor (DAF)\, binding of DAF to complement proteins accelerates their decay, disrupting the cascade and preventing damage to host cells. Antigens present on the DAF glycoprotein constitute the Cromer blood group system (CROM). Two alternatively spliced transcripts encoding different proteins have been identified. The predominant transcript encodes a membrane-bound protein expressed on cells exposed to plasma component proteins but an alternatively spliced transcript produces a soluble protein present at much lower levels. Additional, alternatively spliced transcript variants have been described, but their biological validity has not been determined. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]