EPCAM (epithelial cell adhesion molecule) is a cell surface glycoprotein that serves multiple critical functions in epithelial biology and cancer. The protein acts as a tissue plasticity modulator by repressing myosin contractility through PKC signaling cascades, thereby regulating cell adhesion and migration 1. EPCAM functions as a mechanostat that tunes adhesive and migratory behaviors, with differential effects on collective cell behavior depending on expression levels 2. In cancer, EPCAM serves as a cancer stem cell marker strongly associated with poor clinical outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma, where EpCAM-high cells resist natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity by upregulating CEACAM1 3. The protein undergoes regulated intramembrane proteolysis, generating different variants including membrane-bound full-length (EpCAM_MF) and truncated (EpCAM_MT) forms across various carcinoma types 4. EPCAM expression positively correlates with Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation in colon cancer, promoting cell proliferation and reducing apoptosis 5. Additionally, EPCAM stabilization through MYC-mediated suppression of lysosomal activity is required for WNT oncogenic transcription in gastric tumors 6. The protein can be detected in normal human and murine blood and bone marrow, suggesting physiological roles beyond pathological contexts 7.