NuMA Antibodies

NuMA (Nuclear Mitotic Apparatus Protein 1) is a large structural protein that plays a critical role in the formation and stabilization of the mitotic spindle during cell division. During interphase, NuMA is primarily located in the nucleus, but as cells enter mitosis, it redistributes to the mitotic spindle poles. 

Applications of NuMA Antibodies

NuMA antibodies serve a variety of experimental purposes, especially in studies involving mitosis, spindle assembly, and nuclear architecture:

• Western Blotting: NuMA antibodies are commonly used to detect the expression of NuMA in cell lysates, helping to study changes in NuMA levels during different phases of the cell cycle, or in response to drug treatments that affect mitosis or spindle assembly.
• Immunohistochemistry (IHC): In tissue sections, NuMA antibodies are employed to visualize NuMA distribution in different cell types and tissues. This is particularly useful for studying spindle defects or nuclear architecture in cancerous tissues, where NuMA expression or localization may be altered.
• Immunocytochemistry (ICC): NuMA antibodies are widely used in cultured cells to study its localization and role during mitosis. In mitotic cells, NuMA localizes to the spindle poles, and these antibodies can be used to monitor spindle formation and microtubule dynamics. ICC allows researchers to visualize the behavior of NuMA during different stages of the cell cycle.
• Immunoprecipitation (IP): NuMA antibodies are used in immunoprecipitation assays to pull down the NuMA protein and its interacting partners. This is critical for studying protein-protein interactions that are involved in spindle assembly, mitotic progression, and nuclear organization.

Key Characteristics of NuMA Antibodies

• Specificity: NuMA antibodies are designed to specifically target the NuMA protein, ensuring precise detection in complex cellular environments. This specificity is important for distinguishing NuMA from other mitotic proteins or nuclear structural proteins.
• Cross-reactivity: Many NuMA antibodies are validated for use across species, including humans, mice, and rats, enabling their application in a wide range of model organisms for studying mitosis, spindle formation, and nuclear organization.
• Sensitivity: NuMA antibodies offer high sensitivity, allowing for the detection of low-abundance NuMA protein, especially in studies focusing on cell cycle progression or subtle spindle defects.

NuMA antibodies are essential tools in cellular and molecular biology for studying the role of NuMA in mitosis, spindle assembly, and nuclear organization. Their applications span from basic research into cell division to clinical investigations in cancer and autoimmune diseases.