Vascular cell adhesion protein 1 (VCAM1) is important in cell-cell recognition. It has been reported to function in leukocyte-endothelial cell adhesion, interact with the beta-1 integrin VLA4 on leukocytes, and mediate both adhesion and signal transduction. There are two isoforms; Isoform 1, a single-pass type I membrane protein, and isoform 2, a lipid-anchor (GPI-anchor). VCAM1 is expressed on inflamed vascular endothelium, as well as on macrophage-like and dendritic cell types in both normal and inflamed tissue. It is also expressed in the bone marrow (1).
