Recombinant Human ICAM-1

ICAM-1 is a 55 kDa glycoprotein that is part of the Ig superfamily. It is heavily glycosylated to form 75 kDa to 115 kDa. ICAM-1 is known to be an adhesion and viral entry molecule, and its long suspected involevement in signal transduction is being elucidated. The signal-transducing functions of ICAM-1 appear to be mainly associated with proinflammatory pathways. Furthermore, ICAM-1 signaling appears to act as a beacon for inflammatory immune cells such as macrophages and granulocytes bringing about inflammation via lymphocyte trafficking. ICAM-1 is essential for the transmigration of leukocytes out of blood vessels and into tissues, and is a marker of endothelial dysfunction leading to damaging vascular disorders in umbilical and placental vascular tissue of gestational pregnancies. ICAM-1 is the receptor for rhinoviruses (the cause of most common colds) and malaria, and plays an inflammatory role in ocular allergies.