Tecan IBL International offers a comprehensive range of ELISAs, antibodies, immunoassays and recombinant proteins for research use only.
Osteopontin (OPN) Overview
- Description: OPN is a highly acidic, calcium-binding, glycosylated phosphoprotein. It is secreted by various cell types including osteoblasts, kidney tubule cells, macrophages, activated T cells, and vascular smooth muscle cells.
- Molecular Weight: OPN can vary in molecular weight from 66 kDa to 44 kDa, depending on factors such as glycosylation and phosphorylation.
Key Features:
- RGD Motif: OPN contains an Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) amino acid sequence, a common motif found in extracellular matrix proteins like fibronectin and vitronectin. This sequence is crucial for binding integrin receptors (e.g., αvβ3), which are involved in cell adhesion and signaling.
- Molecular Forms: Osteopontin exists in various molecular forms in vivo due to differential RNA splicing, glycosylation, phosphorylation, and sulfation. These modifications contribute to its functional diversity.
Functional Roles:
- In Injury and Inflammation: OPN is commonly found at sites of injury, inflammation, and angiogenesis, where it may play a role in tissue repair and remodeling.
- In Tumor Tissues: It is also present in tumor tissues, potentially influencing tumor progression and metastasis.
- Proteolytic Fragmentation: OPN is susceptible to proteolytic cleavage, which may have physiological implications, such as modulating its activity or interactions with other molecules.
Assay Specificity:
- Kit Capability: The assay kit is designed to specifically measure human OPN levels and does not detect thrombin-cleaved human OPN fragments. This ensures accurate quantification of intact OPN without interference from its proteolytically fragmented forms.
Summary: Osteopontin is a versatile and functionally significant protein involved in a range of biological processes, from bone formation and immune response to tissue repair and tumor progression. Its various molecular forms and susceptibility to proteolytic fragmentation highlight its complex role in physiology and pathology. The assay kit provided is tailored to accurately measure human OPN levels while excluding thrombin-cleaved fragments, making it a valuable tool for research and clinical applications.
This ELISA Kit from Tecan IBL International is for research use only.
Tecan IBL International offers a comprehensive range of ELISAs, immunoassays, antibodies and recombinant proteins.
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