EPCAM is a carcinoma-associated antigen and belongs to a family which includes at least 2 type I membrane proteins. The EPCAM protein has a role in embryonic stem cells proliferation and differentiation. EPCAM is used as a target for immunotherapy treatment of human carcinomas. EPCAM is expressed on most normal epithelial cells and gastrointestinal carcinomas and acts as a homotypic calcium-independent cell adhesion molecule. Epithelial cell adhesion molecules （EPCAM） can act as a physical homophilic interaction molecule between intestinal epithelial cells （IECs） and intraepithelial lymphocytes （IELs） at the mucosal epithelium for supplying immunological barrier as a first line of defense against mucosal infection. EPCAM gene mutations result in congenital tufting enteropathy.
