ASAM

Adipocyte-specific adhesion molecule (ASAM), also known as ACAM and CLMP, is a type I transmembrane protein and a member of the CTX (cortical thymocyte marker in Xenopus) family within the immunoglobulin superfamily. ASAM protein is highly expressed in the small intestine and placenta, and is found at intermediate levels in the heart, skeletal muscle, colon, spleen, kidney, and lung, and appears in low levels in the liver and peripheral blood leukocytes as well. ASAM is a transmembrane component of tight junctions in epithelial cells that can mediate cell aggregation and regulate transepithelial resistance across polarized epithelial cells. In addition, its expression is strongly correlated with white adipose tissue (WAT) mass of human and rodents with obesity.