MHC Class I, H-2K Antibody, Biotin
Description
Product Specs
Product Science Overview
MHC Class I molecules are essential components of the immune system, playing a critical role in the presentation of endogenous antigens to cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. These molecules are expressed on the surface of nearly all nucleated cells and are involved in the immune response to intracellular pathogens, such as viruses, and in the recognition of cancerous cells.
In mice, the MHC Class I molecules are encoded by the H-2 complex, which is the murine equivalent of the human HLA complex. The H-2 complex includes several loci, with H-2K being one of the primary loci encoding MHC Class I molecules. The H-2K molecules are involved in presenting peptide fragments derived from intracellular proteins to CD8+ T cells, initiating an immune response.
The mouse antibody specific to MHC Class I (H-2K) is a monoclonal antibody that has been conjugated with biotin. Biotinylation is a common technique used to label antibodies, allowing for subsequent detection and purification using streptavidin-based methods. The biotinylated mouse antibody against H-2K is used in various immunological assays, including flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and western blotting.
The preparation of the biotinylated mouse antibody involves several steps:
- Immunization: Mice are immunized with the H-2K antigen to generate an immune response.
- Hybridoma Production: Spleen cells from the immunized mice are fused with myeloma cells to create hybridoma cells that produce monoclonal antibodies.
- Antibody Purification: The monoclonal antibodies are purified from the hybridoma cell culture supernatant using affinity chromatography.
- Biotinylation: The purified antibodies are conjugated with biotin using a biotinylation reagent, such as NHS-biotin, which reacts with primary amines on the antibody.
The biotinylated mouse antibody against MHC Class I (H-2K) has several applications in immunological research:
- Flow Cytometry: Used to analyze the expression of MHC Class I molecules on the surface of cells.
- Immunohistochemistry: Used to detect MHC Class I molecules in tissue sections.
- Western Blotting: Used to identify MHC Class I molecules in protein extracts.
The expression of MHC Class I molecules is tightly regulated by various cytokines and transcription factors. Interferons, particularly IFN-γ, are potent inducers of MHC Class I expression. The regulation ensures that MHC Class I molecules are expressed at appropriate levels to maintain immune surveillance while avoiding excessive immune activation that could lead to autoimmunity.
