LAR is a receptore-linked transmembrane protein tyrosine phosphatase expressed on mesenchymal stem cells, that reside e.g. in bone marrow, blood, placenta, adipose tissue, or skin, as well as it is expressed on some carcinoma cell lines, including HeLa, MCF-7, or HT29. During the process of externalization, LAR is intracellularly proteolytically processed into two non-covalently associated subunits. This protein is involved in intercellular and cell-matrix interactions and its extracellular part resembles that of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). The extracellular part can be released from the surface, which may be used for regulation of LAR function.
