ABSTRACT
In this chapter we will review current knowledge about the human CEA gene family and in particular about the CEA-subfamily. In the first part, we will discuss the number of CEA family genes, the division of the genes into three subfamilies, the CEA subgroup, the pregnancy specific glycoprotein subgroup and the third CGM subgroup, the organization of the genes in the genome and propose a model for the evolution of the gene family. In the second part, we will concentrate on the CEAsubfamily, briefly describing the molecular properties of those seven members that are expressed as protein, what is known about their transcriptional regulation and about their expression in normal and cancerous tissue. Finally, we will give a detailed account of the expression, at the mRNA and protein levels, of CEA subfamily members in normal adult human colon in relation to cell type, maturation stages of the cells and subcellular compartments. The review will end with a discussion about the possible function(s) of CEA subfamily members in normal human physiology.
