Anti-IgM, clone ICO-30

0.2 mg/ml with 0.1 mg/ml BSA (US sourced), 0.05% sodium azide. Recognizes a protein of 75kDa, identified as mu heavy chain of human immunoglobulins. It does not cross-react with alpha (IgA), gamma (IgG), epsilon (IgE), or delta (IgD), heavy chains, T-cells, monocytes, granulocytes, or erythrocytes. Monomeric IgM is expressed as a membrane bound antibody on the surface of B cells and as a pentamer when secreted by plasma cells. IgM antibody is prominent in early immune responses to most antigens. Aberrant levels are associated with immune deficiency states, hereditary deficiencies, myeloma, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, chronic infection and hepatocellular disease. This mAb is useful in the identification of leukemias, plasmacytomas, and certain non-Hodgkins lymphomas. The most common feature of these malignancies is the restricted expression of a single heavy chain class. Demonstration of clonality in lymphoid infiltrates indicates that the infiltrate is clonal and therefore malignant. Protein function: IgM antibodies play an important role in primary defense mechanisms. They have been shown to be involved in early recognition of external invaders like bacteria and viruses, cellular waste and modified self, as well as in recognition and elimination of precancerous and cancerous lesions. The membrane- bound form is found in the majority of normal B-cells alongside with IgD. Membrane-bound IgM induces the phosphorylation of CD79A and CD79B by the Src family of protein tyrosine kinases. It may cause death of cells by apoptosis. It is also found in soluble form, which represents about 30% of the total serum immunoglobulins where it is found almost exclusively as a homopentamer. After the antigen binds to the B-cell receptor, the secreted form is secreted in large amounts. [The UniProt Consortium]