MICA encodes the higly polymorphic MHC (HLA) class I chain-related gene A. The protein product is expressed on the cell surface, although unlike canonical class I molecules does not seem to associate with beta-2-microglobulin. It is thought that MICA functions as a stress-induced antigen that is broadly recognized by intestinal epithelial gamma delta T cells. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Nov 2010]

