ADAM12 polyclonal antibody

ADAM (a disintegr in and metalloprotease) proteins are a family of over 30 membrane-anchored, glycosylated, Zn2+ dependent proteases that are involved in cell-cell, cell-matrix interface related processes including fertilization, muscle fusion, secretion of TNF (tumor necrosis factor α), and modulation of the neurogenic function of Notch and Delta. ADAM proteins possess a signaldomain, a pro-domain, a metalloprotease domain, a disintegrin domain (integrin ligand), a cysteine-rich region, an epidermal growth factor-like domain, a transmembrane domain and a cytoplasmic tail. ADAMs are expressed in brain, testis, epididymis, ovary, breast, placenta, liver, heart, lung, bone and muscle, and catalyze proteolysis, adhesion, fusion and intracellular signaling. ADAM12 (Meltrin-α) is produced as 2 differentially spliced isoforms, a 718 amino acid secreted form (ADAM12S) and a 881 amino acid membrane-bound form (ADAM12L), and is involved in egg-sperm fusion.