Description
Product Characteristics:
Beta-defensins (also designated BD, and hBD in human) are small cationic peptides with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Produced in mucosal epithelia and neutrophils of several species, Beta-defensins are developmentally regulated. Human b-defensin 2 is locally regulated by inflammation and is the first member of the b-defensin family that is locally inducible by inflammation. The murine homolog of human b-defensin 2, which is called b-defensin 3, is present in the respiratory system and in low levels in the epithelial cells of the intestine and lung. The unique murine b-defensin 2 (Defb2) is not expressed in airways of untreated mice, but is upregulated in the airways by lipopolysaccharide and may contribute to host defense at the mucosal surface of the airways
Subcellular location: Secreted
Synonyms: BD-2, SAP1, DEFB2, DEFB4, HBD-2, DEFB-2, DEFB12, Beta-defensin 4A, Beta-defensin 2, Defensin, beta 2, Skin-antimicrobial peptide 1, DEFB4A
Target Information: Defensins form a family of microbicidal and cytotoxic peptides made by neutrophils. Members of the defensin family are highly similar in protein sequence. This gene encodes defensin, beta 4, an antibiotic peptide which is locally regulated by inflammation. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]