Anti-von Willebrand factor antibodies are used for the immunodetection of the protein encoded by the VWF gene. In humans, the canonical protein has a reported length of 2813 amino acid residues and a mass of 309.3 kDa. Its subcellular localization is in the extracellular matrix and is secreted. Alternative splicing is reported to yield 2 different isoforms for this protein. It is notably expressed in plasma. It is noted to be involved in cell adhesion. Post-translational modifications have been described, including O-glycosylation. The von Willebrand factor marker can be used to characterize Endothelial Cells, Endocardial Cells, Vascular Endothelial Cells, Endometrial Microvascular Endothelial Cells (EMEC), and Placental Microvascular Endothelial Cells.* Other names for this target antigen include VWD, Factor VIII related antigen, coagulation factor VIII VWF, and F8VWF. Gene orthologs have been identified in the mouse, rat, bovine, frog, zebrafish, chimpanzee and chicken species.
*HuBMAP Human Reference Atlas v1.4