"Biosensis"

Supplier: Biosensis

C-reactive protein has several roles associated with host defence such as; promoting agglutination, bacterial capsular swelling, phagocytosis and complement fixation through its calcium-dependent binding to phosphorylcholine. It can interact with DNA and histones and may scavenge nuclear material released from damaged circulating cells. COFACTOR: Binds 2 calcium ions per subunit. C-reactive protein exists as a homopentamer. There are 2 alternatively spliced isoforms. C-reactive protein is found in plasma and its concentration increases greatly during acute phase response to tissue injury, infection or other inflammatory stimuli. It is induced by IL-1 and IL-6.

Supplier: Biosensis

Ghrelin is the ligand for growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1 (GHSR) and upon binding to the receptor it induces the release of growth hormone from the pituitary. This ligand has an appetite-stimulating effect and is involved in growth regulation (Ref: SWISSPROT).

Supplier: Biosensis

Uncoupling Protein 3 (UCP3) belongs to the mitochondrial carrier family. Located in the mitochondrion inner membrane, UCP3 creates proton leaks across the membrane thus uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation (Ref: SWISSPROT).

Supplier: Biosensis

Dicer is the rate limiting enzyme in the formation of mature microRNAs.

Supplier: Biosensis

FUNCTION: Nerve growth factor is important for the development and maintenance of the sympathetic and sensory nervous systems. It stimulates division and differentiation of sympathetic and embryonic sensory neurons. SUBUNIT: Homodimer, associated by noncovalent forces. SUBCELLULAR LOCATION: Secreted protein. SIMILARITY: Belongs to the NGF-beta family.

Supplier: Biosensis

The Lamin proteins are members of the intermediate filament protein family but are located inside the nucleus rather than in the cytoplasm (1). The lamins function as skeletal components tightly associated with the inner nuclear membrane. Originally the proteins of the nuclear cytoskeleton were named Lamin A, B and C, from top to bottom as visualized on SDS-PAGE gels. Subsequently it was found that Lamins A and C were coded for by a single gene (2), while the Lamin B band may contain two proteins encoded by two genes now called Lamin B1 and Lamin B2. Lamin A has a mass of about 74kDa while Lamin C is 65kDa. The Lamin A protein includes 98 amino acids missing from Lamin C, while Lamin C has a C-terminal 6 amino acid peptide not present in Lamin A. Apart from these regions Lamin A and C are identical so that antibodies raised against either protein are likely to cross react with the other, as is the case with this monoclonal. Lamin polymerization and depolymerization is regulated by phosphorylation by cyclin dependent protein kinase 1 (CDK1), the key component of "maturation promoting factor", the central regulator of cell division. Activity of this kinase increases during cell division and is responsible for the breakdown of the nuclear lamina. Mutations in the LMNA gene are associated with several serious human diseases, including Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, familial partial lipodystrophy, limb girdle muscular dystrophy, dilated cardiomyopathy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2B1, and Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome. This family of diseases belong to a larger group which are often referred to as Laminopathies, though some laminopathies are associated in defects in Lamin B1, B2 or one or other of the numerous nuclear lamina binding proteins. A truncated version of lamin A, commonly known as progerin, causes Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, a form of premature aging (3).

Supplier: Biosensis

The heat shock proteins were discovered, as the name suggests, since they are heavily upregulated when cells are stressed by temperatures above the normal physiological range. They are expressed in unstressed cells also and have a normal function as chaperones, helping other proteins to fold correctly, and are required in much greater amounts if the cell or tissue is stressed by heat. The increased levels are generated transcriptionally under the influence of a powerful transcription factor, the heat shock factor 1 (HSF1). The different heat shock proteins were originally named based on their SDS-PAGE mobility, so HSP27 has an apparent molecular weight of 27kDa. It is an abundant protein even under non-stress conditions and frequently shows up as a major spot on 2 dimensional gels of cells or tissues. It is known to associate with a variety of other proteins such as actin, intermediate filament subunits and ubiquitin and is found both in the cytoplasm and the nucleus of cells. HSP27 can become heavily phosphorylated under the influence of multiple protein kinases particularly as a result of activation of the p38/SAPK pathway. Upregulation of this protein is protective against neurodegenerative diseases at least in certain mouse models (1). Point mutations in the HSP27 gene are associated with two neurological diseases, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2F and distal hereditary motor neuropathy IIB (2). These diseases are associated with axonal loss apparently following defects in the transport of neurofilaments.

Supplier: Biosensis

Peptide YY (PYY) is secreted from endocrine cells in the lower small intestine, colon and pancreas. PYY inhibits exocrine pancreatic secretion, has a vasoconstrictory action and inhibitis jejunal and colonic mobility (Ref: SWISS-Prot).

Supplier: Biosensis

NT3 is a member of the neurotrophin family, that controls survival and differentiation of visceral and proprioceptive sensory neurons. NT3 is closely related to both NGF and BDNF. It may be involved in the maintenance of the adult nervous system, and may affect development of neurons in the embryo when it is expressed in human placenta. NT3-deficient mice generated by gene targeting display sevvere movement defects of the limbs. The mature peptide of this protein is identical in all mammals examined including human, pig, rat and mouse. SUBCELLULAR LOCATION: Secreted protein. TISSUE SPECIFICITY: Brain and peripheral tissues. SIMILARITY: Belongs to the NGF-beta family

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Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is approx. 50 kDa intra-cytoplasmic filamentous protein of the cytoskeleton in astrocytes. During the development of the central nervous system, it is a cell-specific marker that distinguishes astrocytes from other glial cells. GFAP immunoreactivity has been shown in immature oligodendrocytes, epiglottic cartilage, pituicytes, papillary meningiomas, myoepithelial cells of the breast and in non-CNS: Schwann cells, salivary gland neoplasms, enteric glia cells, and metastasizing renal carcinomas.

Supplier: Biosensis

Neurofilaments can be defined as the intermediate or 10nm diameter filaments found in neuronal cells. They are composed a mixture of subunits which often includes the neurofilament triplet proteins, NF-L, NF-M and NF-H. Neurofilaments may also include peripherin, alpha-internexin, nestin and in some cases vimentin. Alpha-internexin is a ~66 kDa Class IV intermediate filament subunit expressed in large amounts early in neuronal development, but is downregulated in many neurons as development procedes. Many classes of mature neurons contain alpha-internexin in addition to NF-L, NF-M and NF-H. In some mature neurons alpha-internexin is the only neurofilament subunit expressed. Antibodies to alpha-internexin are therefore unique probes to study and classify neuronal types and follow their processes in sections and in tissue culture. In addition the very early developmental expression of alpha-internexin means its presence is an early and convenient diagnostic feature of neuronal progenitors cells and other cell committed to the neuronal lineage.

Supplier: Biosensis

Microtubules are 25nm diameter protein rods found in most kinds of eukarytic cells. They are polymerized from a dimeric subunit made of one a subunit and one b tubulin subunit. Microtubules are associated with a family of proteins called microtubule associated proteins (MAPs), which includes the protein t (tau) and a group of proteins referred to as MAP1, MAP2, MAP3, MAP4 and MAP5. MAP2 is made up of two ~280kDa apparent molecular weight bands referred to as MAP2a and MAP2b. A third lower molecular weight form, usually called MAP2c, corresponds to a pair of protein bands running at ~70kDa on SDS-PAGE gels. All these MAP2 forms are derived from a single gene by alternate transcription, and all share a C-terminal sequence which includes either three or four microtubule binding peptide sequences, which are very similar to those found in the related microtubule binding protein t (tau). MAP2 isoforms are expressed only in neuronal cells and specifically in the perikarya and dendrites of these cells. Antibodies to MAP2 are therefore excellent markers on neuronal cells, their perikarya and neuronal dendrites.

Supplier: Biosensis

Myelin is a membrane characteristic of the nervous tissue and functions as an insulator to increase the velocity of the stimuli being transmitted between a nerve cell body and its target. Myelin isolated from human and bovine nervous tissue is composed of approximately 80% lipid and 20% protein, and 30% of the protein fraction constitutes myelin basic protein (MBP). MBP is an 'intrinsically unstructured' protein with a high proportion (approximately 75%) of random coil, but postulated to have core elements of beta-sheet and alpha-helix. MBP is a major protein in CNS myelin and is expressed specifically in the nervous system. A detailed immunochemical examination of monoclonal and polyclonal antibody responses to MBP and its peptides has revealed the existence of as many as 27 antigenic determinants, many of them conformational. Topological mapping of the potential antigenic determinants onto a model of MBP secondary structure places these determinants within 11 separate regions of the molecule, including those portions that have been found to be encephalitogenic. The message for myelin basic protein is selectively translocated to the ends of the cell processes. Immunization with myelin-associated antigens including MBP significantly promotes recovery after spinal cord contusion injury in the rat model. FUNCTION: Is, with PLP, the most abundant protein component of the myelin membrane in the CNS. Has a role in both the formation and stabilization of this compact multilayer arrangement of bilayers. Each splice variant and charge isomer may have a specialized function in the assembly of an optimized, biochemically functional myelin membrane (By similarity). SUBUNIT: Homodimer (By similarity). SUBCELLULAR LOCATION: Myelin membrane; peripheral membrane protein; cytoplasmic side. Cytoplasmic side of myelin. TISSUE SPECIFICITY: Found in both the central and the peripheral nervous system.

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Neurofilaments contain three intermediate filament proteins: light (68 kDa), medium (160 kDa) and heavy (200 kDa). Neurofilament heavy (NF200 or NF-H) is phosphorylated and it is thought that this results in the formation of interfilament cross bridges that are important in the maintenance of axonal caliber. This antibody binds primarily to the phosphorylated axonal forms of NF-H.

Supplier: Biosensis

Neurofilaments are composed of three intermediate filament proteins: light (~68 kDa), medium (~160 kDa) and heavy (~200 kDa), which are involved in the maintenance of the neuronal caliber. Neurofilament light (NF68 or NF-L) is the most abundant of the three proteins.

Supplier: Biosensis

Neurofilaments are composed of three intermediate filament proteins: light (~68 kDa), medium (~160 kDa) and heavy (~200 kDa), which are involved in the maintenance of the neuronal caliber. Neurofilament medium runs on SDS-PAGE gels in the range 145-170 kDa, with some variation in different species.