NG2 Antibody (5H26): sc-71690

NG2 Antibody (5H26) is a mouse monoclonal IgG1 antibody that detects NG2 in mouse and rat samples through applications such as western blotting (WB), immunoprecipitation (IP), and immunofluorescence (IF). NG2, also known as melanoma-associated chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4, plays a crucial role in stabilizing cell-substratum interactions during the early stages of melanoma cell spreading on endothelial basement membranes, which is vital for tumor progression. NG2 enhances the activation of key signaling pathways that are important for tumor invasion and growth, thereby facilitating primary melanoma progression. Notably, the phosphorylation of threonine 2256 in rat NG2 (or threonine 2252 in human NG2) leads to a redistribution of NG2 on the surface of astrocytomas, promoting cell polarization and significantly increasing cell motility. Furthermore, NG2 acts as a co-receptor for spreading and focal contact formation in association with α4 β1 integrin in malignant melanoma cells, highlighting NG2′s importance in cellular interactions. In the developing rat embryo, NG2 is expressed on blood vessels, and within the central nervous system, NG2 is found on endothelial cells of microvessels, while outside the CNS, NG2 is present on smooth muscle cells. Additionally, NG2 serves as a novel marker for epidermal stem cells, contributing to their patterned distribution by promoting stem cell clustering, which is essential for tissue regeneration and repair. With diverse roles in cell signaling and interaction, NG2 is a significant target for research in cancer biology and regenerative medicine.

The preferred NG2 antibody is NG2 Antibody (LHM 2): sc-53389.