Description
Introduction: Tenascin, also known as hexabrachion and cytotactin, is an extracellular matrix protein with a spatially and temporally restricted tissue distribution. It is a hexomeric, multidomain protein with disulfide linked subunits of 190 to 240 kD, originally characterized as myotendinous antigen. In the embryo it is present in dense mesenchyme surrounding developing epithelia, in tendon anlagen, and in developing cartilage and bone. In the adult tenascin remains present in tendons and myotendinous junctions in the perichondrium and periosteum, as well as in smooth muscle.
Principle of the Assay: The microtiter plate provided in this kit has been pre-coated with an antibody specific to TN-C. Standards or samples are then added to the appropriate microtiter plate wells with a biotin-conjugated antibody preparation specific for TN-C and Avidin conjugated to Horseradish Peroxidase (HRP) is added to each microplate well and incubated. Then a TMB (3,3',5,5' tetramethyl-benzidine) substrate solution is added to each well. Only those wells that contain TN-C, biotin-conjugated antibody and enzyme-conjugated Avidin will exhibit a change in color. The enzyme-substrate reaction is terminated by the addition of a sulphuric acid solution and the color change is measured spectrophotometrically at a wavelength of 450 nm +/- 2 nm. The concentration of TN-C in the samples is then determined by comparing the O.D. of the samples to the standard curve