EMA, CD227, Breast carcinoma-Associated antigen DF3, CA15-3, Carcinoma-Associated mucin Episialin, Epithelial Membrane Antigen, H23AG, KL-6, MAM6, MUC-1, MUC-1/SEC, MUC-1/X, MUC1-alpha, MUC1-beta, MUC1-CT, MUC1-NT, MUC1/ZD, Mucin 1 cell surface Associated, Mucin-1 subunit beta, Peanut-reactive urinary mucin, PEM, PEMT, Polymorphic epithelial mucin, PUM, Tumor-Associated epithelial Membrane antigen, Tumor-Associated mucin

In Western blotting, it recognizes proteins in MW range of 265-400kD, identified as different glycoforms of EMA. This protein is proteolytically cleaved into alpha and beta subunits that form a heterodimeric complex. The N-terminal alpha subunit and the C-terminal beta subunit. . The alpha subunit has cell adhesive properties. It can act both as an adhesion and an anti-adhesion protein. EMA may provide a protective layer on epithelial cells against bacterial and enzyme attack. The beta subunit contains a C-terminal domain, which is involved in cell signaling, through phosphorylations and protein-protein interactions. In immunohistochemical assays, it superbly stains routine formalin/paraffin carcinomas. Antibody to EMA is useful as a pan-epithelial marker for detecting early metastatic loci of carcinoma in bone marrow or liver.