Cell Signaling Technology

Product Pathways - Neuroscience

Nestin (Rat-401) Mouse mAb #4760

Applications Reactivity Sensitivity MW (kDa) Isotype
IHC-P IF-F R Endogenous 207 Mouse IgG1

Applications Key:  IHC-P=Immunohistochemistry (Paraffin)  IF-F=Immunofluorescence (Frozen)
Reactivity Key:  R=Rat
Species cross-reactivity is determined by western blot. Species enclosed in parentheses are predicted to react based on 100% sequence homology.

Protocols

Specificity / Sensitivity

Nestin (Rat-401) Mouse mAb detects endogenous levels of nestin protein.

Source / Purification

Monoclonal antibody is produced by immunizing animals with E15 rat spinal cord.

IHC-P (paraffin)

IHC-P (paraffin)

Immunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded rat brain, P1 (left) or P14 (right), using Nestin (Rat-401) Mouse mAb (top) or Neurofilament-L (C28E10) Rabbit mAb #2837 (lower). Note decreased Nestin staining as NFL staining increases in the developing rat brain.

IF-F

IF-F

Confocal immunofluorescent analysis of P1 rat brain (left) and adult rat brain (right) using Nestin (Rat-401) Mouse mAb (green) and Neurofilament-L (C28E10) Rabbit mAb #2837 (red). Blue pseudocolor = DRAQ5® #4084 (fluorescent DNA dye).

Background

Nestin is an intermediate filament family member protein that is structurally related to the neurofilament proteins (1). It is highly expressed in the developing brain, where it may help to regulate cell structure and intracellular processes required for neural cell division and migration (1,2). Upon maturation of the brain, nestin expression is quickly down-regulated and replaced by expression of the neurofilament proteins (2). Because nestin is expressed in both mature and precursor neuronal and glial cells, as well as in the developing brain and in the brain and spinal cord following damage, nestin is widely accepted as a marker of neural stem/progenitor cells (3). Expression of nestin is also found in cells from various nervous system tumors, including gliomas, neuroblastomas, astrocytomas, and is generally accepted as a marker for neural cancer stem cells (3). Nestin expression has alos been observed in astrocytes, retina, cardiac muscle, pancreas and other tissues (3). Therefore, the acceptance of nestin as an exclusive marker of neural stem/progenitor cells is not unanimous.

  1. Michalczyk, K. and Ziman, M. (2005) Histol Histopathol 20, 665-71.
  2. Giliarov, A.V. (2007) Morfologiia 131, 85-90.
  3. Gilyarov, A.V. (2008) Neurosci Behav Physiol 38, 165-9.

Application References

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Companion Products

This product is intended for research purposes only. The product is not intended to be used for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes in humans or animals.

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