SMTN Rabbit anti-Human, Mouse, Polyclonal, Proteintech

Smoothelin is a constituent of the smooth muscle cell (SMC) cytoskeleton. Antibodies directed to smoothelin are a useful tool to monitor SMC differentiation. Smoothelin is exclusively expressed in fully differentiated (contractile) SMCs. RNA and protein analyses reveal a broad species distribution of this protein. Cells with SMC-like characteristics, such as myofibroblasts, myoepithelial cells, and skeletal and cardiac muscle do not contain smoothelin. Confocal scanning laser microscopy of tissue sections, as well as transfection studies, show a filamentous organization of smoothelin that is different from that of desmin and vimentin. Smoothelin colocalizes with actin stress fibers. Two tissue specific isoforms have been identified: a 59 kDa isoform specific for visceral SMC; and a 100 kDa specific for vascular SMC. Human smoothelin is encoded by a single copy gene which is located on chromosome 22.