Lotus tetragonolobus agglutinin (LTA) binds preferentially to early embryonic cells in the mouse. The affinity-purified antibody raised against LTA receptors from embryonal carcinoma cells were used to screen a λgt11 expression library of F9 embryonal carcinoma cells, resulting in detection of a cDNA clone specifying a new glycoprotein termed “basigin.” The glycoprotein has been suggested to be a transmembrane one, and was found to be a new member of the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily. The molecular weight of basigin was largely in the range between 43, 000 and 66, 000, while that of the peptide portion with a putative signal sequence was inferred to be about 30, 000. Significant levels of basigin mRNA were detected not only in embryonal carcinoma cells, but also in mouse embryos at 9-15 days of gestation and in various organs of the adult mouse. The Ig-like domain of basigin is unique, since it has strong homology to both the β-chain of major his-tocompatibility class II antigen and the Ig V domain. The number of amino acids between the two conserved cysteine residues is intermediate between those of the Ig V and C domains. Therefore, basigin is an interesting protein in connection with the molecular evolution of the superfamily.