Description_x000D_ General description_x000D_ Actin is a cytoskeletal protein that regulates cell motility, secretion, phagocytosis and cytokinesis. The NH2-terminal of actin may function as an antigen. This terminal may also modulate actin interactions and may associate with proteins such as myosin._x000D_ Actin is one of the most conserved eukaryotic proteins, which is expressed in mammals and birds as at least six major different isoforms. Four of them represent the differentiation markers of muscle tissues and two are found practically in all non-muscle cells. Actin isoforms show >90% overall sequence homology, but only 50-60% homology in their 18 N-terminal residues. Actin is present in cells both as a globular monomer (G-actin) and as a polymer in filamentous actin (F-actin) that participates in the formation of a variety of stable and labile structures. The presence of actin in cell nuclei and cell membranes has been reported._x000D_ Immunogen_x000D_ synthetic actin N-terminal nonapeptide conjugated to KLH._x000D_ Application_x000D_ Anti-Actin, N-terminal antibody produced in rabbit has been used in_x000D_ • immunoblotting_x000D_ • quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation (qChIP)_x000D_ Protein lysates generated from embryonic mouse limb tissue was analyzed by western blot using actin as the loading control. Actin was detected using rabbit anti-actin at 1:8000. Actin detected by a rabbit anti-actin antibody was used as a loading control for MCF7 cell lysates . Actin was detected at 42 kDa._x000D_ Physical form_x000D_ Solution in 0.01 M phosphate buffered saline, pH 7.4, containing 1% BSA and 15 mM sodium azide._x000D_ Disclaimer_x000D_ Unless otherwise stated in our catalog or other company documentation accompanying the product(s), our products are intended for research use only and are not to be used for any other purpose, which includes but is not limited to, unauthorized commercial uses, in vitro diagnostic uses, ex vivo or in vivo therapeutic uses or any type of consumption or application to humans or animals._x000D_ Biochem/physiol Actions_x000D_ Actin and myosin are constituents of many cell types and are involved in a myriad of cellular processes including maintenance of cell shape, locomotion, secretion, cytoplasmic streaming, phagocytosis, and cytokinesis. The N-terminal domain of actin appears to be a major antigenic region of the molecule. Different isoforms can coexist in the same cell but are differentially regulated, and in most cases cannot substitute for each other functionally._x000D_ Other Notes_x000D_ To view an Actin antibody selection guide, please visit www.sigmaaldrich.com/actin.