The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) contains multiple immunoglobulin-like domains

The amino acid sequences of human carcinoembryonic antigen deduced from the cDNA sequences (1) have been analysed. This antigen contains seven extracellular domains (previously recognized three highly repetitive domains are further divided into A and B subdomains each) which are strikingly homologous to each other and to immunoglobulin variable regions, poly-Ig receptor and Thy 1.1. The N-terminal domain lacks immunoglobulin-like fold but the other six domains have, suggesting that the CEA belongs to immunoglobulin superfamily.