Actin, a reliable marker of internal control?
Beta-actin is commonly used to normalize molecular expression studies due to its high conservation as an endogenous housekeeping gene. However, recent studies have shown that beta-actin expression can change in response to biochemical stimuli, during growth and differentiation, and in disease states. As can be expected, these phenomena substantially compromise the use of beta-actin as an internal reference marker. Under these conditions, varying expression of beta-actin likely indicates changed function for this maintenance molecule. Further studies exploring the function of actin in these environments will probably lead to a new integrative understanding of the roles of this housekeeping gene.
Ruan
Wenjing
W
Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
Lai
Maode
M
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004194:Disease; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D012015:Reference Standards
D000199:Actins; D015415:Biomarkers