Background：

This gene encodes a preproprotein that is proteolytically processed to form multiple protein products. The major encoded protein product， lactadherin， is a membrane glycoprotein that promotes phagocytosis of apoptotic cells. This protein has also been implicated in wound healing， autoimmune disease， and cancer. Lactadherin can be further processed to form a smaller cleavage product， medin， which comprises the major protein component of aortic medial amyloid (AMA). Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants.