Recombinant Mouse Ly6c protein (Tagged)

Supplementary information

This supplementary information is collated from multiple sources and compiled automatically.

Ly6c also known as Ly-6C is a protein marker with a molecular weight of approximately 18 kDa. It is part of the Ly6 family of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored cell surface proteins. Ly6c is predominantly expressed in mice on the surface of certain immune cells including monocytes macrophages dendritic cells and subsets of T cells. The expression levels can vary depending on the cell type and the activation or developmental stage of the cell. Ly6c serves as a useful marker in immunological studies to distinguish between different subsets of monocytes commonly identified as Ly6c^high and Ly6c^low populations.

Biological function summary

Ly6c is involved in the differentiation and trafficking of immune cells. It is not known to be part of a larger protein complex. In the immune system the Ly6c marker is critical for distinguishing between classical and non-classical monocytes in mice. Classical monocytes expressing high levels of Ly6c are involved in rapid response to inflammatory stimuli while non-classical monocytes with lower Ly6c expression help in patrolling blood vessels. This distinction is important in understanding how the immune system responds to various infections and how the body maintains immune homeostasis.

Pathways

Ly6c plays a role in the monocyte recruitment and differentiation pathways. It is closely related to the chemokine signaling pathway influencing how immune cells migrate towards sites of inflammation or injury. The presence of the Ly6c2 protein an isoform of Ly6c helps modulate these responses by interacting with cytokines and chemokines that guide the trafficking of immune cells. The presence of Ly6c influences the activity of proteins like CCR2 which plays a significant role in chemotaxis in response to inflammation.

Ly6c is associated with inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. For example high Ly6c expression has been linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and atherosclerosis. In IBD the ability of Ly6c^high monocytes to migrate to the gut and promote inflammation is well-documented. Similarly in atherosclerosis the recruitment of Ly6c^high monocytes to blood vessels contributes to plaque formation. In these contexts proteins like MCP-1 (also known as CCL2) interact with Ly6c-expressing cells facilitating their movement and function in disease processes. Understanding the role of Ly6c in these conditions might help develop targeted therapies to mitigate chronic inflammation and related diseases.