Merck, AB5541, Anti-Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Antibody

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is a class-III intermediate filament. Type III intermediate filaments contain three domains, the most conserved of which is the rod domain. The specific sequence for this region of the protein may differ between the different intermediate filament genes for type III proteins, but the structure of the protein is highly conserved. GFAP is the main constituent of intermediate filaments in astrocytes and serves as a cell specific marker that distinguishes differentiated astrocytes from other glial cells during the development of the central nervous system. GFAP is also found in the lens epithelium, Kupffer cells of the liver, in some cells in salivary tumors and has been reported in erythrocytes.