LAMP-1/CD107a

LAMP-1 (CD107a) is a heavily glycosylated type I transmembrane protein that coats the lumenal side of lysosomal and late endosomal membranes, protecting them from luminal hydrolases. Upon degranulation, cytotoxic T cell and NK cell lysosomes fuse with the plasma membrane, transiently displaying CD107a at the cell surface; this property is exploited in the widely used CD107a degranulation assay for cytolytic lymphocyte activity. CD107a is thus also a marker of activated platelets and of NK cell function. Elevated surface LAMP-1 on tumor cells has been associated with invasive behavior and metastasis. Functionally, its poly-lactosamine glycans also contribute to cell adhesion and migration in tumor models.