CD163, also designated M130, is a macrophage-associated antigen that is a member of the scavenger receptor cysteine-rich (SRCR) superfamily. It is highly expressed on macrogphages and to a lesser extent on monocytes. The acute phase-regulated and signal-inducing macrophage protein, CD163, is a receptor that scavenges hemoglobin by mediating endocytosis of haptoglobin-hemoglobin complexes. CD163 binds only haptoglobin and hemoglobin in complex, which indicates the exposure of a receptor-binding neoepitope. The receptor-ligand interaction is calcium-dependent and of high affinity. The existence of several CD163 isoforms, which differ in the structure of their cytoplasmic domains and putative phosphorylation sites, suggests that these isoforms also differ in their signaling mechanism. The gene which encodes CD163 maps to human chromosome 12p13.31.
