Collagen Antibodies

Collagens are fibrous extracellular matrix proteins that together comprise the most abundant protein in the human body. They have high tensile strength and are major components of connective tissues like tendons, cartilage, ligaments, and skin. Collagens are also plentiful in bone, intervertebral discs, corneas, blood vessels, tooth dentin, and gut tissue.

Many collagens are involved in cell adhesion and help maintain tissue architecture and function. As a structural support, collagens help form the interstitial matrix and the basement membrane that make up the extracellular matrix. All collagens have a triple helix domain, but the collagen family includes many chain types, each with multiple isoforms. Types I, II, III, IV, and V are the most common, with type I the most abundant of all. Types I, II, III, and V are fibril forming interstitial collagens, while type IV collagens form the basal lamina, a layer of the basement membrane. More specifically, type I collagens are found in bone, skin, tendons, and organs; type II collagens are the primary component of cartilage; type III collagens are the main component of reticular fibers; and type V collagens are found on the cell surface, in hair, and in the placenta.

Collagen antibodies have provided a useful means for studying the distribution of connective tissue proteins. Invitrogen collagen antibodies are validated for use in various applications to see all the collagen antibody offerings please click the links below.

See all collagen I antibodies  See all collagen II antibodies  See all collagen III antibodies  See all collagen IV antibodies  See all collagen V antibodies

Collagen antibodies are also valuable in probing epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, tumorigenesis and the effect of carcinomas on the basement membrane, and the role of the basement membrane in development and epithelial differentiation. Quality Invitrogen collagen antibodies are available for a variety of research needs.