Alpha-synuclein
Alpha-synuclein, or SNCA, was among the first genes to be linked to Parkinson’s disease (PD) and remains one of the most promising targets to unlock Parkinson’s pathogenesis. SNCA has a molecular weight of 14kDa and consists of 140 amino acids. SNCA is abundant in the brain and is largely localized to presynaptic terminals, which are critical in relaying signals between cells.
PD is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. It is characterized by the relatively selective loss of dopaminergic neuronal cells in the substantia nigra pars compacta (an area responsible for motor control), and the presence of Lewy bodies, a type of intraneuronal aggregate. SNCA is a major component of these Lewy bodies, whose build-up within dopaminergic neuronal cells is thought to be associated with the dysfunctional and eventual death of these cells. This ultimately leads to the loss of motor control associated with PD.
In addition to PD, SNCA is associated with multiple other disease states, collectively known as synucleinopathies1,2.
Applications
Our range of SNCA antibodies, kits and proteins are validated for a variety of key applications including western blot, immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry, ELISA, and immunoprecipitation.
 | IHC image of SNCA staining in Normal human Substantia Nigra formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue section, performed on a Leica Bond™ system using the standard protocol F. The section was pre-treated using heat mediated antigen retrieval with sodium citrate buffer (pH6, epitope retrieval solution 1) for 20 mins. The section was then incubated with ab138501, 5µg/ml, for 15 mins at room temperature and detected using an HRP conjugated compact polymer system. DAB was used as the chromogen. The section was then counterstained with haematoxylin and mounted with DPX. |
| Immunohistochemistry (Formalin/PFA-fixed paraffin-embedded sections) - Anti-Alpha-synuclein antibody [MJFR1] (ab138501) |
Product recommendations for your alpha-synuclein research
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References
- Burré J. The Synaptic Function of α-Synuclein J Parkinsons Dis. 5(4): 699–713 (2015)
- Xu L, Pu J. Alpha-Synuclein in Parkinson's Disease: From Pathogenetic Dysfunction to Potential Clinical Application Parkinsons Dis. 2016;2016:1720621. doi: 10.1155/2016/1720621. Epub 2016 Aug 17.