TPBG & CD3

This gene encodes a leucine-rich transmembrane glycoprotein that may be involved in cell adhesion. The encoded protein is an oncofetal antigen that is specific to trophoblast cells. In adults this protein is highly expressed in many tumor cells and is associated with poor clinical outcome in numerous cancers. Alternate splicing in the 5 UTR results in multiple transcript variants that encode the same protein.

In immunology, the CD3 (cluster of differentiation 3) T-cell co-receptor is a protein complex and is composed of four distinct chains. In mammals, the complex contains a CD3γ chain, a CD3δ chain, and two CD3ε chains. These chains associate with a molecule known as the T-cell receptor (TCR) and the ζ-chain to generate an activation signal in T lymphocytes. The TCR, ζ-chain, and CD3 molecules together comprise the TCR complex.