GFAP Mouse Monoclonal Antibody [1-D4] (EM140707)

UNIPROT #

P14136

PROTEIN NAME

GFAP

SYNONYMS

wu:fb34h11 antibody;ALXDRD antibody;cb345 antibody;etID36982.3 antibody;FLJ42474 antibody;FLJ45472 antibody;GFAP antibody;GFAP_HUMAN antibody;gfapl antibody;Glial fibrillary acidic protein antibody;Intermediate filament protein antibody;wu:fk42c12 antibody;xx:af506734 antibody;zgc:110485 antibody

SEQUENCE SIMILARITIES

Belongs to the intermediate filament family.

TISSUE SPECIFICITY

Expressed in cells lacking fibronectin.

POST-TRANSLATIONAL MODIFICATION

Phosphorylated by PKN1.

SUBCELLULAR LOCATION

Cytoplasm.

FUNCTION

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is a protein that is encoded by the GFAP gene in humans. It is a type III intermediate filament (IF) protein that is expressed by numerous cell types of the central nervous system (CNS), including astrocytes and ependymal cells during development. 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. GFAP is closely related to the other three non-epithelial type III IF family members, vimentin, desmin and peripherin, which are all involved in the structure and function of the cell’s cytoskeleton. GFAP is thought to help to maintain astrocyte mechanical strength as well as the shape of cells, but its exact function remains poorly understood, despite the number of studies using it as a cell marker. There are multiple disorders associated with improper GFAP regulation, and injury can cause glial cells to react in detrimental ways. Glial scarring is a consequence of several neurodegenerative conditions, as well as injury that severs neural material. Another condition directly related to GFAP is Alexander disease, a rare genetic disorder. Notably, the expression of some GFAP isoforms have been reported to decrease in response to acute infection or neurodegeneration. Additionally, reduction in GFAP expression has also been reported in Wernicke's encephalopathy.