Invitrogen™ alpha Tubulin Monoclonal Antibody (YOL1/34)

Alpha Tubulin is a part of a heterodimer consisting of alpha and beta tubulin subunits. The alpha and beta tubulins, which are each about 55 kDa MW, are homologous but not identical. Alpha-beta tubulin heterodimer is the basic building block of microtubules, and this intracellular cylindrical filamentous structure is present in almost eukaryotic cells. Microtubules serve as structural supports and lines of transport within the cell, as well as serving a key role in mitosis. Microtubules of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton perform essential and diverse functions and are composed of a heterodimer of alpha and beta tubulins. The alpha and beta tubulins represent the major components of microtubules, while gamma tubulin plays a critical role in the nucleation of microtubule assembly. There are multiple alpha and beta tubulin genes, which are highly conserved among species. The gene that encodes alpha tubulin is highly similar to the mouse and rat Tuba1 gene. Northern blotting studies have shown that the gene expression is predominantly found in morphologically differentiated neurologic cells.