CD163
Description
The CD163 (CD163 molecule) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 12.
CD163 (Cluster of Differentiation 163) is a protein encoded by the CD163 gene in humans. It serves as the high-affinity scavenger receptor for the hemoglobin-haptoglobin complex and, with lower affinity, for hemoglobin alone. CD163 is a marker of cells from the monocyte/macrophage lineage and functions as an innate immune sensor for gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The receptor was discovered in 1987. Its molecular size is 130 kDa, and it belongs to the scavenger receptor cysteine rich family type B. CD163 comprises a 1048 amino acid residues extracellular domain, a single transmembrane segment, and a cytoplasmic tail with several splice variants. A soluble form of the receptor, denoted sCD163, exists in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. sCD163 is generated by ectodomain shedding of the membrane-bound receptor, which may represent a form of modulation of CD163 function. This shedding occurs through enzymatic cleavage by ADAM17.
CD163 is also known as M130, MM130, SCARI1.
