CD138

This antibody reacts with the CD138 antigen, which is expressed on normal and malignant human plasma cells, pre-B cells, epithelial cells, and endothelial cells, but not on mature circulating B-lymphocytes. It is also expressed on some non-hematopoietic cells, including embryonic mesenchymal cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells, and neural cells. CD138, a member of the syndecan protein family, is a type I integral membrane heparin sulfate proteoglycan also known as Syndecan-1. Syndecan-1 participates in cell proliferation, cell migration, and cell-matrix adhesion via interaction with collagen, fibronectin, and other soluble molecules (such as FGF-basic).