Store at 4 deg C for short term storage. Aliquot and store at -20 deg C for long term storage. Avoid repeated freeze/thaw cycles.
Biohazard Information
This product contains sodium azide as preservative. Although the amount of sodium azide is very small appropriate care must be taken when handling this product.
General Information
Product Use
Purified polyclonal GFAP antibody specific for Human GFAP for use in Flow Cytometry, Immunohistochemistry and Western Blot.
Biological Significance
GFAP is one of the major intermediate filament proteins of mature astrocytes. GFAP is used as a marker to distinguish astrocytes from other glial cells during development.
Expression
GFAP is expressed in the central nervous system in astrocyte cells and ependymal cells and in cells lacking fibronectin. GFAP has also been found to be expressed in glomeruli and peritubular fibroblasts taken from rat kidneys Leydig cells of the testis in both hamsters and humans, human keratinocytes, human osteocytes and chondrocytes and stellate cells of the pancreas and liver in rats.
Implications in Disease
Mutations in GFAP expression cause Alexander disease, a rare disorder of astrocytes in the central nervous system. Alexander disease, also known as fibrinoid leukodystrophy, is a slowly progressing and fatal neurodegenerative disease. It is a very rare disorder which results from a genetic mutation and mostly affects infants and children, causing developmental delay and changes in physical characteristics.
Sequence Information
GFAP is composed of 432 amino acids with a molecular weight of 49880 Da. GFAP is a member of the intermediate filament family.
