Anti-Kir4.1-ATTO-488

A polyclonal antibody to Kir4.1 conjugated to the fluorescent dye ATTO-488


Product#:APC-035-AG

Sizes:
50 µl


Kir4.1 is a member of the family of inward rectifying K+ channels. The family includes 15 members that are structurally and functionally different from the voltage-dependent K+ channels.

 

The family’s topology consists of two transmembrane domains that flank a single and highly conserved pore region with intracellular N- and C-termini. As is the case for the voltage-dependent K+ channels the functional unit for the Kir channels is composed of four subunit that can assembly as either homo or heteromers.

 

Kir channels are characterized by a K+ efflux that is limited by depolarizing membrane potentials thus making them essential for controlling resting membrane potential and K+ homeostasis.

 

Kir4.1 is a member of the Kir4 subfamily that includes one other member: Kir4.2. Kir4.1 can co-assemble with Kir4.2 but also with other Kir channels such as Kir2.1 and Kir5.1.

 

The Kir4 subfamily have been classified as weak rectifiers with intermediate conductance. 

 

Kir4.1 is mainly expressed in brain, specifically in glia cells, but also in retina, ear and kidney.1,2

 

It has been proposed that Kir4.1 has an essential role in glial K+ buffering, a process that re-uptakes the K+ released during neuronal activity into the intracellular interstitial space. Loss of Kir4.1 causes retinal defects and loss of endochoclear potential.3

 

Alomone Labs offers a highly specific antibody directed against an epitope situated in the intracellular C-terminus of the rat Kir4.1 channel. The Anti-Kir4.1 antibody (#APC-035) can be used in immunohistochemical and Western blot applications and recognizes Kir4.1 from rat, mouse, and human samples.

 

Alomone Labs is pleased to offer a new version of this antibody that is directly labeled with an ATTO-488 fluorescent dye. ATTO dyes are characterized by strong absorption (high extinction coefficient), high fluorescence quantum yield, and high photo-stability. The ATTO-488 label is analogous to the well known dye fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and can be used with filters typically used to detect FITC. The Anti-Kir4.1-ATTO-448 antibody (#APC-035-AG) has been tested in immunohistochemical applications and is specially suited for experiments requiring simultaneous labeling of different markers.



Host:
Rabbit.
Epitope:

Peptide (C)KLEESLREQAEKEGSALSVR, corresponding to residues 356-375 of rat Kir4.1 (Accession P49655).

Putative epitope location:
Intracellular, C-terminus.
Homology:

Human, mouse - identical.

 

Label:

ATTO-488. Maximum absorption 501 nm; maximum fluorescence 523 nm. The fluorescence is excited most efficiently in the 480 - 515 nm range.

This label is analogous to the well known dye fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and can be used with filters typically used to detect FITC.

Reactivity Confirmed:
Rat.
Applications:
Immunohistochemistry:
 

Immunohistochemical staining of Kir4.1 in rat cerebellum.

Immunohistochemical staining of frozen sections of rat cerebellum using Anti-Kir4.1 –ATTO-488 antibody (#APC-035-AG) (green), (1:50). Staining is specific for Bergmann glial cells prolongations (white arrows) in the molecular layer (ML) and astrocytes (yellow arrows) in the granular layer (GL). Purkinje cell bodies are stained with fluorescent Nissl stain (red). Hoechst 33342 (blue) is used as counterstain.

References:
1. Takumi, T. et al. (1995) J Biol Chem 270,16339.
2. Higashi, K. et al. (2001) Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 281, C922.
3. Butt, A.M. and Kalsi, A. (2006) J. Cell Mol. Med. 10, 33.
For research purposes only, not for human use.