OptimAb Neurofilaments, Phosphorylated , Monoclonal Antibody, purified

Blue ice

Neurofilaments are key components of the neuronsCytoskeleton whose main function is to provide structural support to the axons. There are 3 major neurofilament subunits: light or lowest (NF-L), medium or middle (NF-M) and heavy or highest (NF-H). SMI 31 reacts with a phosphorylated epitope in extensively phosphorylated NF-H and to a lower extent NF-M in most mammalian species, as well as in chicken and frog (Xenopus). Immunocytochemically, SMI 31 reacts broadly with thick and thin axons and some dendrites such as basket cell dendrites, but not Purkinje cell dendrites. Nerve cell bodies are generally unreactive. Other cells and tissues are unreactive except for peripheral axons. Phosphatase treatment of tissue sections or Western blots abolishes reaction with SMI 31. Staining is unaffected by trypsin. In pathological conditions, reaction with SMI 31 may be found also in neuronal cell bodies. Aberrant phosphorylation of NF-H in cell bodies can be demonstrated in neuronal cell cultures with SMI 31 by agents that induce stress-activated protein kinase. In its reaction with paired helical filaments in hereditary inclusion body myopathy, SMI 31 colocalizes with nitric oxide synthase, suggesting that oxidative stress may play a role in the pathogenic cascade of such degenerative diseases. SMI 31 co-immunoprecipitates neurofilament-associated kinase (NAK 115) via reaction of the antibody with the tail domain of NF-H.