Merck, A5228-100UL, Anti-Actin, α-Smooth Muscle antibody, Mouse monoclonal

Actin is a highly conserved protein that is a major component of both the cytoskeletal and contractile structures in all cell types. It varies in amount, being related to the type of differentiation and to the functional state of cells and tissues. Actin can be found in two different forms of aggregation, the globular or the fibrillar state, and at least six distinct isoforms occur in vertebrates. The actins exhibit over 90% sequence homology, but each isoform has a unique NH2-terminal sequence. The isoforms are comprised of three alpha actins (skeletal, cardiac, smooth), one beta actin (beta-non-muscle) and two gamma actins (gamma smooth muscle and gamma non-muscle).