LEGEND MAX™ Human Free SCF ELISA Kit with Pre-coated Plates 5 Pre-coated Plates

Human SCF (stem cell factor) and its receptor c-Kit (CD117) play important roles in hematopoiesis, spermatogenesis, melanogenesis, and mast cell development. SCF is initially synthesized as membrane-bound forms of 248 or 220 amino acids, depending on alternative splicing of exon 6. The membrane-bound 248 amino acid form contains a proteolytic cleavage site. Upon cleavage, an active soluble protein of 165 amino acid residues is released. Soluble SCF is glycosylated at both N-linked and O-linked sites and exists as a non-covalently associated dimer in circulation. It plays a significant role in differentiating and mobilizing stem and progenitor cells from the bone marrow. SCF increases the proliferation of myeloid and lymphoid hematopoietic progenitors in bone marrow cultures.

c-Kit exists in both membrane bound and soluble forms. Both forms can bind SCF. SCF/c-Kit interaction in mast cells results in mast cell degranulation with release of mediators, such as histamine and inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. The soluble form of c-Kit consists of the extracellular ligand binding domain, which can block soluble SCF binding to cell surface c-Kit and acts as a natural antagonist. It has also been shown to mobilize hematopoietic stem cells from bone marrow.

It is expected that normal serum, plasma and other biological fluids contain a low concentration of free SCF and a higher concentration of SCF/c-Kit complex. It is the free SCF that binds to the c-Kit on the cell surface and exerts biological functions. Thus, it is necessary to measure both the free and the total SCF (free and complex) forms in biological samples in order to understand how SCF functions.

The BioLegend LEGEND MAX™ Human Free SCF ELISA Kit is a Sandwich Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) with a 96-well strip plate that is pre-coated with a goat polyclonal antibody specific for human free SCF. The detection antibody is a biotinylated goat polyclonal anti-human free SCF antibody. This kit is specifically designed for the accurate quantitation of human free SCF from cell culture supernatant, serum, EDTA plasma, heparin plasma, and other biological fluids. This kit is analytically validated with ready-to-use reagents.