Anti-GFAP

This gene encodes one of the major intermediate filament proteins of mature astrocytes. It is used as a marker to distinguish astrocytes from other glial cells during development. Mutations in this gene cause Alexander disease, a rare disorder of astrocytes in the central nervous system. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms. Protein function: GFAP, a class-III intermediate filament, is a cell- specific marker that, during the development of the central nervous system, distinguishes astrocytes from other glial cells. [The UniProt Consortium]