title: Generation of polyclonal antibodies against recombinant human activin A.
abstract: A goat antiserum to purified recombinant human activin A (rhAct-A), a dimer formed by two beta A-subunits of inhibin, has been produced. The immunoreactivity of the antiserum has been evaluated in an antigen coated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, in a radioimmunoassay using iodinated rhAct-A, and by Western blot analysis. The antiserum demonstrated some cross reactivity to inhibin A, a structurally related heterodimer which contains an identical beta A-subunit coupled to a distinct, though similar, alpha subunit. A simple radioimmunoassay for rhAct-A in tissue culture supernatant has been developed with rhAct-A affinity column purified polyclonal antiserum. The assay is precise and sensitive with a range of 0.31-40 ng/ml. The cross reactivity of inhibin A in the RIA is about 4.3%. Despite its cross-reactivity this antiserum will facilitate studies of the physiology of activin A and inhibin A which includes a Western blot analysis where a molecular size distinction is accomplished.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology Research & Assay Technology, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, California 94080.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lofgren
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schwall
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schmelzer
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D028341:Activins; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D015153:Blotting, Western; D005260:Female; D006041:Goats / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007265:Inhibins / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits / Q000276:immunology; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins