The SMC (structural maintenance of chromosomes) family of proteins form heterodimeric complexes that modulate sister chromatid cohesion and chromosome condensation for mitosis. The two distinct classes of SMC protein complexes are comprised of SMC1 (also designated SB1.8) with SMC3 (also designated HCAP for human chromosome-associated protein and Bamacan for the secreted proteoglycan), and SMC2 (also designated hCAP-E) with SMC4 (also designated hCAP-C). The SMC1/SMC3 complex is required for metaphase progression in mitotic cells and functions independently of the SMC2/SMC4 complex during the cell cycle. SMC1 is ubiqitiously expressed in various human tissues, including thymus, testis and colon. SMC3 is expressed as a nuclear protein in the colon, but can also occur as a secreted proteoglycan expressed in testis and brain. The secreted proteoglycan contains several glycosylation sites and is thought to play a role in basement membrane physiology.
