Background of the antigen
Calmodulin consists of two glycoproteins, 34 and 39 kDa, sometimes designated epithelial antigen, epithelial specific antigen, and epithelial glycoprotein. The glycoproteins are located on the cell membrane surface and in the cytoplasm of virtually all epithelial cells with the exception of most squamous epithelia, hepatocytes, renal proximal tubular cells, gastric parietal cells and myoepithelial cells. Epithelial Calmodulin is found in the large majority of adenocarcinomas of most sites (50-100% in various studies; as well as neuroendocrine tumours, including small cell carcinoma. Renal cell carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma stain in about 30% of the cases. Calmodulin mediates the control of a large number of enzymes and other proteins by Ca(2+). Among the enzymes to be stimulated by the calmodulin Ca(2+) complex are a number of protein kinases and phosphatases. Calmodulin has four functional calcium binding sites.
