Concanavalin A binding glycoprotein in human stratum corneum.

A mannose-containing 40K glycoprotein has been identified in the stratum corneum of normal human epidermis. It is apparently membrane-bound and in the intact epidermis it is inaccessible to either concanavalin A or to trypsin. After it is detergent-solubilized, it can be labeled with concanavalin A or destroyed with trypsin. There is little or none of this glycoprotein in the viable cells of the epidermis.