Calretinin

alretinin is a 29 kDa calcium binding protein that is expressed in central and peripheral nervous system and in many normal and pathological tissues (1).  Calretinin is also considered an important diagnostic aid in the differential diagnosis of cystic and solid ameloblastic tumors.  The rat and human calretinin exhibit 98% sequence homology and 91% homology to many other species (2).  Calretinin is generally expressed with two other calcium binding proteins Calbindin D-29 and parvalbumin in CNS and other peripheral tissues.  Two calcium-binding proteins, calbindin and calretinin, have been reported to be expressed in abundance in Purkinje cells and other cell types in the cerebellum.  The antibodies against calretinin also labels the mossy fibers throughout, and climbing fibers in a distinct group of folia.  They also stain several cell types in the molecular layer.  There is no appreciable immunostaining of calretinin in cerebellar cortex.  In the rat, antibodies against calretinin stain the Lugaro cells, and some granule cells in lobe X; they also give weak staining of all the granule cells in the other lobes.  Calretinin antibodies have been used to detect a number of carcinomas by clinicopathological, immunohistochemical techniques including, epithelial malignant mesotheliomas, Ovarian yolk sac tumor, Adenomatoid tumors of the uterus etc. 

The calretinin-selective antibodies were generated against common sequences near the N-terminal end that is unique to Calretinin proteins.  The polyclonal antibody labels 29 KDa calretinin in human tissues and a number of different animal species including rat and mouse.  FabGennix Inc. provides Western blot positive controls for the calretinin in ready-to-use buffer for application on SDSPAGE.  The Calretinin antibodies were (Cal-100P/101AP) were generated using cyclic peptide methodology that results in higher titer and specificity (3).  Antibody Cal-100P and Cal-101AP label Calretinin in rat brain homogenates.  Calretinin-selective antibody is also available in affinity purified form for confocal, Western blotting and immunocytochemical analyses.  FabGennix Inc. will also conjugate antibodies with fluorescent probes upon request at extra charge.  

For research use only, not for diagnostic or therapeutic use.