CD56, NK CELLS AND BLASTS

Neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), also called CD56, is a homophilic binding glycoprotein expressed on the surface of neurons, glia, skeletal muscle and natural killer cells. NCAM has been implicated as having a role in cell–cell adhesion,neurite outgrowth, synaptic plasticity, and learning and memory.Normal cells that stain positively for CD56 include NK cells, activated T cells, the brain and cerebellum, and neuroendocrine tissues.Tumors that are CD56-positive are myeloma, myeloid leukemia, neuroendocrine tumors, Wilms' tumor, neuroblastoma, NK/T cell lymphomas, pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma, pheochromocytoma, paraganglioma, small cell lung carcinoma, and the Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors. MORE