β-Catenin Mouse, Unlabeled, Clone: 14, BD

β-Catenin is a 92kDa protein that binds to the cytoplasmic tail of E-Cadherin. The cadherins, transmembrane adhesion molecules, are found with catenins at adherens junctions (zonula adherens). Deletions in the cytoplasmic domain of E-Cadherin which eliminate catenin binding also result in a loss of cell adhesion, indicating that this binding is essential for E-Cadherin function. Although the α- and β-Catenins have been cloned, very little is known about their biochemical roles. However a link between β-Catenin and colon cancer has been described. β-Catenin was found to co-immunoprecipitate with the APC tumor suppressor protein in human colorectal tumor cell lines, as well as in human kidney 293 cells. E-Cadherin, however, was not detectable in these complexes. Thus the APC-Catenin complex may be affecting the transmission of contact inhibition signals and/or the regulation of cell adhesion.

Immunofluorescence, Immunohistochemistry, Immunoprecipitation, Western Blotting