Invitrogen™ Human Aggrecan (aa 2133-2218) Control Fragment Recombinant Protein

Aggrecan also known as cartilage-specific proteoglycan core protein (CSPCP) or chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 1 is a protein that is encoded by the ACAN gene. The encoded protein is an integral part of the extracellular matrix in cartilaginous tissue and it withstands compression in cartilage. The human form of the protein is 2316 amino acids long (approximately 250 kDa) and can be expressed in multiple isoforms due to alternative splicing. Aggrecan exhibits a bottlebrush structure, in which chondroitin sulfate and keratan sulfate chains are attached to an extended protein core. The synthesis and degradation of aggrecan are being investigated for their roles in cartilage deterioration during joint injury, disease, and aging. It contains three interglobular domains (IGDs), G1, G2, and G3 that are involved in aggregation, hyaluronan binding, cell adhesion, and chondrocyte apoptosis. Aggrecan fragments from articular cartilage are released into the synovial fluid at all stages of human osteoarthritis as a result of cleavage by aggrecanase and MMP activity. Antibodies BC-3 and BC-4 can be used to detect these neo epitopes of Aggrecanase (ARGSVXXX) and MMP (XXXVDIPEN), respectively.