The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the transmembrane 4 superfamily, also known as the tetraspanin family. Most of these members are cell-surface proteins that are characterized by the presence of four hydrophobic transmembrane domains. Tetraspanins mediate signal transduction events that play a role in the regulation of immune responses, cell development, activation, growth and motility.[7][8][9][10] CD37 expression is restricted to cells of the immune system, with highest abundance on mature B cells, and lower expression is found on T cells and myeloid cells. CD37 is a cell surface glycoprotein that is known to complex with integrins and other transmembrane 4 superfamily proteins. Alternate splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms.[6] CD37 controls both humoral[11][12] and cellular immune responses.[13][14][15] CD37-deficiency in mice leads to spontaneous development on B cell lymphoma,[16] and patients with CD37-negative lymphomas have a worse clinical outcome.[17]
^"Human PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
^"Mouse PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
^Virtaneva KI, Angelisová P, Baumruker T, Horejsí V, Nevanlinna H, Schröder J (Mar 1993). "The genes for CD37, CD53, and R2, all members of a novel gene family, are located on different chromosomes". Immunogenetics. 37 (6): 461–5. doi:10.1007/BF00222471. hdl:10138/157839. PMID8436422. S2CID8899453.
^van Spriel AB, de Keijzer S, van der Schaaf A, Gartlan KH, Sofi M, Light A, Linssen PC, Boezeman JB, Zuidscherwoude M, Reinieren-Beeren I, Cambi A, Mackay F, Tarlinton DM, Figdor CG, Wright MD (November 2012). "The tetraspanin CD37 orchestrates the α(4)β(1) integrin-Akt signaling axis and supports long-lived plasma cell survival". Science Signaling. 5 (250): ra82. doi:10.1126/scisignal.2003113. PMID23150881. S2CID21237789.
^van Spriel AB, Puls KL, Sofi M, Pouniotis D, Hochrein H, Orinska Z, Knobeloch KP, Plebanski M, Wright MD (March 2004). "A regulatory role for CD37 in T cell proliferation". Journal of Immunology. 172 (5): 2953–61. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.172.5.2953. PMID14978098. S2CID5620186.
^Sheng KC, van Spriel AB, Gartlan KH, Sofi M, Apostolopoulos V, Ashman L, Wright MD (January 2009). "Tetraspanins CD37 and CD151 differentially regulate Ag presentation and T-cell co-stimulation by DC". European Journal of Immunology. 39 (1): 50–5. doi:10.1002/eji.200838798. PMID19089816. S2CID46297687.
Horejsí V, Vlcek C (August 1991). "Novel structurally distinct family of leucocyte surface glycoproteins including CD9, CD37, CD53 and CD63". FEBS Letters. 288 (1–2): 1–4. doi:10.1016/0014-5793(91)80988-F. PMID1879540. S2CID26316623.
Berditchevski F (December 2001). "Complexes of tetraspanins with integrins: more than meets the eye". Journal of Cell Science. 114 (Pt 23): 4143–51. doi:10.1242/jcs.114.23.4143. PMID11739647.
Angelisová P, Hilgert I, Horejsí V (1994). "Association of four antigens of the tetraspans family (CD37, CD53, TAPA-1, and R2/C33) with MHC class II glycoproteins". Immunogenetics. 39 (4): 249–56. doi:10.1007/BF00188787. PMID8119731. S2CID20252327.
Wright MD, Rochelle JM, Tomlinson MG, Seldin MF, Williams AF (February 1993). "Gene structure, chromosomal localization, and protein sequence of mouse CD53 (Cd53): evidence that the transmembrane 4 superfamily arose by gene duplication". International Immunology. 5 (2): 209–16. doi:10.1093/intimm/5.2.209. PMID8452817.
Okochi H, Mine T, Nashiro K, Suzuki J, Fujita T, Furue M (July 1999). "Expression of tetraspans transmembrane family in the epithelium of the gastrointestinal tract". Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. 29 (1): 63–7. doi:10.1097/00004836-199907000-00016. PMID10405235.
Matsumoto K, Bochner BS, Wakiguchi H, Kurashige T (1999). "Functional expression of transmembrane 4 superfamily molecules on human eosinophils". International Archives of Allergy and Immunology. 120 (Suppl 1): 38–44. doi:10.1159/000053592. PMID10529602. S2CID39289159.
van Spriel AB, Puls KL, Sofi M, Pouniotis D, Hochrein H, Orinska Z, Knobeloch KP, Plebanski M, Wright MD (March 2004). "A regulatory role for CD37 in T cell proliferation". Journal of Immunology. 172 (5): 2953–61. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.172.5.2953. PMID14978098. S2CID5620186.