alpha foetoprotein polyclonal, anti-rat

Quantity: 1 ml

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. As unlabelled primary or secondary antibody reagent for the indirect detection of alpha foetoprotein in tissues and body fluids in immunofluorescence and immunoenzyme methods; for the production of immunoconjugates with a selected marker; to prepare insoluble immunoaffinity adsorbents by coupling to an artificial carrier; as catching or detection reagent in non-isotopic methodology and solid phase immunochemistry (e.g. ELISA, Western blotting). When applied in any cytochemical or histochemical procedure or solids phase coupling technique, the optimum concentration of the IgG preparation should always be established by titration. Typical working dilutions in histochemistry are usually between 1:100 and 1:500; in ELISA and comparable non-precipitating antibody-binding assays between 1:1,000 and 1:5,000.

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: Purified hyperimmune sheep IgG, in phosphate buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.2), stabilized with dextran.

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 precipitation reaction has been observed with Mouse amniotic fluid.

Applications: Indirect immunofluorescence, ELISA, Dot blot, Immunoblotting

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