alpha foetoprotein polyclonal, anti-rat

Quantity: 200 µl

Background:
The reactivity of the antiserum is restricted to alpha-foetoprotein. In immunoelectrophoresis and double radial immunodiffusion, using various antiserum concentrations against amniotic fluid, rat hepatoma sera and purified alpha-foetoprotein an single characteristic precipitin line is obtained. No reaction is obtained with rat sera of different strains. In precipitating techniques as immunoelectrophoresis and single and double radial immunodiffusion (Mancini, Ouchterlony) to identify the presence of alpha-foetoprotein or to determine its concentration. The presence of non-precipitating antibodies has not been assayed. This does not exclude the use of the antiserum in non-precipitating antibody-binding techniques if proper controls are included.

Isotype: Sheep Polyclonal

Source: Purified rat alpha-foetoprotein is isolated from pooled amniotic fluid and hepatoma serum using a proprietary multiple step method. Several foetoproteins have been demonstrated in rat foetal serum and amniotic fluid. One of the best studied is the alpha-foetoprotein. It can be easily identified immunochemically because of its distinct antigenicity. In electrophoresis its relative mobility is between the albumin and the alpha-1 globulin fractions. Its molecular weight is 65,000, the carbohydrate content is relatively low. Freund's complete adjuvant is used in the first step of the immunization procedure.

Form: Delipidated, heat inactivated, in PBS and 0.1% sodium azide.

Reactivity: rat

Cross Reactivity:
Inter-species cross-reactivity is a normal feature of antibodies to mammalian proteins, since homologous proteins of different species frequently share antigenic determinants. Cross-reactivity of this antiserum has not been tested in detail, however in double radial immunodiffusion (Ouchterlony) a weak precipitation reaction has been observed with Mouse amniotic fluid and Human cord Serum.

Applications: Immunoprecipitation

Storage: Store at 4C, or in small aliquots at -20C.