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Description: The monoclonal antibody 1A4 recognizes human, mouse, and rat alpha-smooth muscle actin. Alpha-smooth muscle actin is a 42 kDa protein and is a major component of the cytoskeletal structural network. This 1A4 antibody is specific for the alpha form of muscle actin only, which is expressed by smooth muscle cells of blood vessels, myofibroblasts, and myoepithelial cells. It is also expressed in the parenchyma and stroma of various tissues. Alpha-smooth muscle actin is useful in the identification of leiomyomas, leiomycosarcomas and pleomorphic adenomas and is used as a prognostic marker for basal cell carcinoma.
Applications Reported: This 1A4 antibody has been reported for use in immunohistochemical staining of formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue sections, and immunocytochemistry.
Applications Tested: This 1A4 antibody has been tested by immunohistochemistry of formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue using high pH antigen retrieval and can be used at 1 µg/mL. It is recommended that the antibody be carefully titrated for optimal performance in the assay of interest.
Using conjugate solutions: Centrifuge the protein conjugate solution briefly in a microcentrifuge before use; add only the supernatant to the experiment. This step will help eliminate any protein aggregates that may have formed during storage, thereby reducing nonspecific background staining.
Smooth Muscle Actin belongs to the actin family of proteins, which are highly conserved proteins that play a role in cell motility, structure and integrity. Alpha, beta and gamma actin isoforms have been identified, with alpha actin being a major constituent of the contractile apparatus, while beta and gamma actins are involved in the regulation of cell motility. In particular, smooth muscle actin is an alpha actin that is found in skeletal muscle. Actin exists as a ubiquitous protein involved with filament formation that make up large portions of the cytoskeleton. Actin filaments interact with myosin to assist in muscle contraction as well as aiding in cell motility and cytokinesis. Smooth muscle actin is found on smooth muscle vessel walls, gut wall, myometrium, myoepithelial cells in breast and salivary glands. Defects in the smooth muscle actin gene cause aortic aneurysm familial thoracic type 6. Actin isoforms differ slightly in their N-terminus and the sequences of each are perfectly conserved in higher vertebrates. Alpha-smooth muscle actin is abundant in vascular and visceral smooth muscle cells. In addition, it has also been shown that smooth muscle actin appear in stress fibers of fibroblastic cells during pathological situations involving contractile phenomena such as wound healing and fibrocontractive diseases. Multiple alternatively spliced variants of smooth muscle actin have been identified.
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. Not for resale without express authorization.
Protein Aliases: Actin Alpha 2 Smooth Muscle Aorta; Actin Vascular Smooth Muscle; Actin, aortic smooth muscle; Alpha Cardiac Actin; Alpha-actin-2; alpha-cardiac actin; Aortic Smooth Muscle; Cell growth-inhibiting gene 46 protein; Growth Inhibiting Gene 46; smooth muscle
Gene Aliases: AAT6; ACTA2; ACTSA; ACTVS; GIG46; MYMY5
UniProt ID: (Human) P04108
Entrez Gene ID: (Human) 59
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