Laminin antibody

Background of Laminin antibody

Laminin, the most abundant structural and biologically active component in basement membranes, is a complex extracellular glycoprotein with an approximate molecular weight of 900 kD. It plays an important role in many aspects of the cell biology. Laminin is composed of one A chain (400 kD) one B1 chain (215 kD) and one B2 chain (205 kD) all held together by disulfide bonds. The molecule has a cross-like form with globular units near the ends of each chain, the sites where it is bound to Collagen IV, heparan sulfate, proteoglycan as well as to the surface of epithelial cells. Laminins from various species have common antigenic determinants. Laminin is only found in significant quantities in basement membranes, the thin extracellular matrices that surround epithelial tissue, nerve, fat cells and smooth, striated and cardiac muscle. It has been found to modulate cell differentiation, cell shaping and also cell movement because it appears to be an important cell substrate-adhesion protein. Variations in the expression of this protein have been observed in embryogenesis, organogenesis, post traumatic healing and cancer. The greatest interest in laminin has been provoked by the discovery of its ability to promote neurite regeneration. Quantitation of laminin is beneficial by allowing for a method of non-invasive testing. For example, in fibrosis, a serious and frequent complication of chronic active liver disease characterized by excessive deposition of various normal components of connective tissue in liver, the concentration of laminin in serum is positively related to the severity of the fibrotic liver disease being significantly higher in cirrhosis than in mere fibrosis.