CD38 (Gene)

The protein encoded by this gene is a non-lineage-restricted, type II transmembrane glycoprotein that synthesizes and hydrolyzes cyclic adenosine 5'-diphosphate-ribose, an intracellular calcium ion mobilizing messenger. The release of soluble protein and the ability of membrane-bound protein to become internalized indicate both extracellular and intracellular functions for the protein. This protein has an N-terminal cytoplasmic tail, a single membrane-spanning domain, and a C-terminal extracellular region with four N-glycosylation sites. Crystal structure analysis demonstrates that the functional molecule is a dimer, with the central portion containing the catalytic site. It is used as a prognostic marker for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Sep 2015]