β-2-Microglobulin (B2M-01) Antibody: sc-51509

β-2-Microglobulin Background Information
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class 1 molecules bind to antigens for presentation on the surface of cells. The proteasome is responsible for producing these antigens from the components of foreign pathogens. MHC class 1 molecules consist of an a heavy chain that contains three subdomains (å1, å2, å3), and a non-covalent associating light chain, known as ∫-2-Microglobulin. ∫-2-Microglobulin associates with the a3 subdomain of the a heavy chain and forms an immunoglobulin domain-like structure that mediates proper folding and expression of MHC class 1 molecules. The å1 and å2 domains of the a heavy chain form the peptide antigen-binding cleft. Mice that lack ∫-2-Microglobulin protein show a normal distribution of T cells, yet have no mature CD4-8+ T cells and are defective in CD4-8+ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Interferon-© can stimulate production of ∫-2-Microglobulin transcripts. The human ∫-2-Microglobulin gene maps to chromosome 15q21-q22.2 and encodes a 119 amino acid protein. Mutations in the ∫-2-Microglobulin gene can enhance the progression of malignant melanoma phenotypes.