VASA Antibody (L18Z): sc-80427

VASA Antibody (L18Z) is a mouse monoclonal IgG1 antibody that detects VASA in human samples through applications such as western blotting (WB), immunoprecipitation (IP), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). VASA is a crucial ATP-dependent RNA helicase consisting of 724 amino acids and is a member of the DEAD-box family, playing a vital role in germline development. VASA expression is specifically confined to germline cells, making VASA undetectable in somatic tissues, which underscores VASA′s importance in reproductive biology. In vertebrates, VASA is found exclusively in bisexually reproducing organisms and is localized in the cytoplasm, particularly in migratory primordial germ cells within the gonadal ridge. Notably, VASA exhibits varying expression levels in testicular sections, with the highest levels in spermatogonia, a reduction in spermatocytes, low levels in spermatids, and absence in mature sperm. In the ovary, VASA is most abundant in oogonia and continues to be expressed throughout oogenesis. VASA features a glycine-rich N-terminus with multiple repeats of an RGG motif, which facilitates RNA binding. This characteristic is essential for VASA′s function in regulating the translation of complex mRNAs critical for germ cell differentiation, highlighting VASA′s significance in reproductive health and development.

The preferred Vasa antibody is Vasa Antibody (C-2): sc-514249.