[The role of CD44 adhesion molecules].

CD44 is a transmembrane glycoprotein involved in the interaction between cells and extracellular matrix. CD44 is ubiquitously expressed on cells, and has been thought to be a cell adhesion molecule with proposed functions in extracellular matrix binding, cell migration and lymphocyte homing. In 1991, Stamenkovic et al. showed the existence of two forms of CD44: a hematopoietic (standard) and an epithelial form which was highly expressed by carcinomas. The alternative splicing of 10 variant exons encoding the membrane proximal portion of the external domain of CD44, in particular, results in many variant isoforms. These may play a critical role in malignant behavior and in determining organ specificity in metastasis.