Draxin (C-terminal region) Antibody

The developing nervous system assembles with the help of guidance molecules that control the trajectory of growing neurons. Axon guidance proteins such as, netrins, semaphorins, ephrins, and slits, are critical extracellular matrix cues for correctly wiring of the nervous system. Draxin is an axon guidance protein that has been observed to repel neurite outgrowth from dorsal spinal cord and cortical explants in vitro. Chick draxin consists of 349 amino acids with a putative signal peptide sequence at the N-terminal end but no membrane anchoring sequence, which suggests that draxin is a secreted protein. The ectopically expressed draxin has been shown to inhibit growth or cause misrouting of chick spinal cord commissural axons in vivo. In both chick and mouse, commissural neurons require draxin to successfully cross the midline and form the major commissures of the brain. Thus, draxin is a chemorepulsive axon guidance molecule required for the development of the spinal cord and forebrain commissures.

Draxin synthetic peptide (coupled to KLH) corresponding to amino acid residues in the C-terminal region of human draxin. This peptide sequence is highly conserved in rat, mouse, and chick draxin.

The antibody detects a significant 50 kDa* protein corresponding to the molecular mass of draxin on SDS-PAGE immunoblots of rat PC12 cells, rat P1 brain, and chick E9 brain. The antibody also shows low expression of draxin in adult mouse brain.