Application

Western blot

Immunocytochemistry

Immunohistochemistry on both frozen and paraffin embedded tissue sections. For paraffin sections, high temperature antigen retrieval in 10 mM citrate buffer (pH 6.0) is highly recommended (van der Loop, 1997).

Optimal working dilutions must be determined by the end user.

Detect Smoothelin using this Anti-Smoothelin Antibody, clone R4A validated for use in WB, IC, IH(P).

General description

Smoothelin is a constituent of the smooth muscle cell (SMC) cytoskeleton. Antibodies directed to smoothelin are useful tools to monitor SMC differentiation. Smoothelin is exclusively expressed in fully differentiated (contractile) SMCs. RNA and protein analyses revealed a broad species distribution of this protein. Cell with SMC-like characteristics, such as myofibroblasts and myoepithelial cells, as well as skeletal and cardiac muscle do not contain smoothelin. Confocal scanning laser microscopy of tissue sections, as well as transfection studies, show a filamentous organization of smoothelin that is different from that of desmin or vimentin. Smoothelin colocalizes with actin stress fibers. In immunoblots two molecular weight isoforms are detected i.e. a 50 kDa isoform specific for visceral SMC, and an isoform with a molecular weight of approximately 100 kDa in vascular SMC. Human smoothelin is encoded by a single copy gene which is located on chromosome 22.MAB3242 is useful to discriminate fully differentiated, contractile SMCs from proliferative SMCs. The distribution of smoothelin-positive cells indicates a correlation between smoothelin expression and smooth muscle tissue contractility. Smoothelin is a useful tool in the evaluation of atherosclerotic lesions.

Immunogen

Cytoskeletal extract of chicken gizzard.

Legal Information

CHEMICON is a registered trademark of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

Other Notes

Concentration: Please refer to the Certificate of Analysis for the lot-specific concentration.

Physical form

Liquid in buffer (PBS) with 0.1% sodium azide.

Format: Purified

Specificity

MAB3242 reacts with smoothelin, a cytoskeletal protein exclusively found in smooth muscle cells. Reacts with the 59 kDa and 100 kDa protein corresponding to smoothelin by Western blot.