Actin Antibody

Actin antibodies come in a wide variety of formats to suit your experimental needs. Whether its a positive control for loading or immunofluorescence counter stain you can bet that everyone of us is going to come across a need for good actin antibodies. So this page is dedicated to actin antibodies.

If you don’t read this page, you’ll miss:

• Our suggested actin antibodies for a variety of cell types.
• What the heck do I need actin antibodies for?
• Beta actin antibodies
• Alpha actin antibodies
• Where does actin antibody stain bands on my blot?

Beta-Actin Antibodies – the loading control

The most common use of actin antibodies is as a loading control for western blots. The reason being is actin is ubiquitously expressed at high levels in pretty much every cell type known. The exception being adipocytes.

Beta-actin bands migrate at approximately 45 kDa on a blot in case you were wondering.  Here’s an example of well controlled blot using beta-actin as a control.

 

 

What the heck is Actin?

Actin is the major component of the cytoskeleton with at least six isoforms known in mammals. Beta actin and gamma actin are also known as cytoplasmic actin and are predominantly expressed in nonmuscle cells where they act to control cell structure. There are of course other actins, but since this site is all about Western blots lets cut to the chase. You are looking for beta actin 99% of the time for your loading control.

Where to buy beta actin antibodies?

Great question.  Seriously I don’t think it matters. Buy the one that is most cost effective for you. I like Cell Signaling, Sigma, Abcam, Life Technologies, EMD Millipore, Abgent.  To be honest they are all pretty much the same.

Here’s a couple list of US prices currently for actin polyclonals and some things that frustrate me!

Abcam – 50 ug = $367 – recommended use is 1:1000 dilution. (what the heck is 50ug? enough for 10 blots? 50 blots?  Please stop being cryptic!)

Cell Signaling – 10 blots = $230.  Thanks that helps

Sigma – 200ul = $260 -recommended 1:100?

Pierce – 1 kit = $279.00.  1 kit WTF? how many blots can I do? Talk about cryptic

Any way I think you get the point, which is ask the supplier or your sales person how many blots can I get with your actin antibody? Since they all pretty much do the same thing!

 

More to come soon about actin antibodies…