CD133

By Jamshed Arslan, Pharm. D., PhD.

ATG9A is the only essential integral membrane protein involved in autophagy. ATG9A contains six transmembrane domains and initiates the assembly of autophagosomes. The autophagosome is a double-membrane structure that engulfs and eventually degrades cytoplasmic materials such as organelles or macromolecules. Assembly of the autophagosome requires the delivery of lipids and membrane components to initiate and expand the double-membrane pre-autophagosome structure called the isolation membrane.

Also known as PROM1 and AC133, this gene is located on chromosome 4p15 and encodes CD133, a 120kDa pentaspan transmembrane glycoprotein (5-TM) and presents multiple spliced variants. Prominin-1 (CD133) was the first protein identified as "Prominin"; originated from the Latin word "Prominere" meaning to protrude and was initially detected on CD34 bright hematopoietic stem cells using a monoclonal antibody (mAb) raised against human CD34⁺cells.

We at Novus Biologicals have added several new products to our CD antibody database. The CD, or Cluster of Differential proteins are a family of type I transmembrane glycoproteins widely expressed in immune cell populations. These include B cells, thymocytes and peripheral T cells. Widely used as cell markers, a recent antibody study identified three CD proteins - CD44+, CD49fhi, and CD133hi – as new cell markers in an aggressive, but uncommon type of breast cancer.