Helios Hamster, Alexa Fluor 488, Clone: 22F6, BD

Description

• The 22F6 monoclonal antibody specifically binds to mouse and human Helios
• Helios is a member of the Ikaros family of zinc-finger transcription factors, which play important roles in hematopoietic cell development and tumor suppression
• Helios expression is restricted to the earliest stages of embryonic hematopoiesis, a variety of epithelial tissues and is notably increased in thymic-derived regulatory CD4+Foxp3+ T (Treg) cells
• Its high expression levels in Treg cells are independent from Foxp3 and are believed to contribute, along with other transcription factors, to the phenotypic stability of natural regulatory T cells
• Accordingly, it has been demonstrated that Helios directly stimulates Foxp3 transcription while it inhibits ll2 /gene expression, contributing for the maintenance of cellular anergy
• Helios is also differentially expressed during negative and positive selection in the thymus, marking CD4+ autoreactive cells for deletion
• Helios may possibly play roles in T cell activation, since it is upregulated in Th2 and Tfh cells
• Despite these roles in T cell development and function, Helios genetic ablation in mice revealed no significant abnormalities in Treg or other T cell subsets
• This finding suggests that other Ikaros family members may play redundant roles
• Alexa Fluor™ conjugates are highly photostable and remain fluorescent over a broad pH range
• The excitation and emission maxima are nearly identical to those of FITC
• However, Alexa Fluor™ 488 tends to be brighter and more optimal for intracellular applications
• Due to nearly identical excitation and emission properties but different spillover characteristics, FITC and Alexa Fluor™ 488 cannot be used simultaneously
• Alexa Fluor™ 488 exhibits extraordinary photostability, which makes it highly suitable for fluorescence microscopy.