Function: May act as a scaffolding protein within caveolar membranes, functionally participating in formation of caveolae or caveolae-like vesicles. May be involved in epidermal cell adhesion and epidermal structure and function. Tissue specificity: In skin, expressed in epidermis and epidermal appendages but not in dermis. Expressed in all layers of the epidermis except the basal layer. In hair follicles, expressed in the suprabasal layer but not the basal layer. Also expressed in melanoma and carcinoma cell lines, fibroblasts and foreskin melanocytes. Similarity: Belongs to the band 7/mec-2 family. Flotillin subfamily.