Description
Product Characteristics: Like most other intermediate filament proteins (IFPs), the expression of the different neuronal IFPs is both tissue-specific and developmentally regulated. The neurofilament (NF) triplet proteins (70, 160, and 200 kDa) occur in both the central and peripheral nervous system and are normally restricted to neurons. The 70 kDa NF-protein can self-assemble into a filamentous structure, whereas the 160 kDa and 200 kDa NF-proteins require the presence of the 70 kDa NF-protein to co-assemble. All three NF proteins can be detected by immunohistochemical methods at day 9 or 10 after gestation in the mouse embryo. Although IFPs of the neurofilament type are normally restricted to neurons, there are reports on their expression in non-neuronal cells as well. For example, in heart conduction myocytes NF proteins are expressed together with desmin. In tumorpathology ganglioneuroblastomas and some of the other neuroblastomas are strongly positive with the neurofilament antisera. Also, some neuro-endocrine malignancies may show NF positivity. In cell cultures of neural tissues the neurofilament antibodies can monitor in vitro differentiation.
Target Information: Neurofilaments are type IV intermediate filament heteropolymers composed of light, medium, and heavy chains. Neurofilaments comprise the axoskeleton and functionally maintain neuronal caliber. They may also play a role in intracellular transport to axons and dendrites. This gene encodes the heavy neurofilament protein. This protein is commonly used as a biomarker of neuronal damage and susceptibility to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has been associated with mutations in this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Oct 2008]