The microtubules are intracellular dynamic polymers made up of evolutionarily conserved polymorphic alpha/beta-tubulin heterodimers and a large number of microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs). The microtubules consist of 13 protofilaments and have an outer diameter 25nm. Microtubules have their intrinsic polarity, highly dynamic plus ends and less dynamic minus ends. Microtubules are required for vital processes in eukaryotic cells including mitosis, meiosis, maintenance of cell shape and intracellular transport. Microtubules are also necessary for movement of cells by means of flagella and cilia. In mammalian tissue culture cells microtubules have their minus ends anchored in microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs). The GTP (guanosintriphosphate) molecule is an essential for tubulin heterodimer to associate with other heterodimers to form microtubule. In vivo, microtubule dynamics vary considerably. Microtubule polymerization is reversible and a populations of microtubules in cells are on their minus ends either growing or shortening - this phenomenon is called dynamic instability of microtubules. On a practical level, microtubules can easily be stabilized by the addition of non-hydrolysable analogues of GTP (eg. GMPPCP) or more commonly by anti-cancer drugs such as Taxol. Taxol stabilizes microtubules at room temperature for many hours. Using limited proteolysis by enzymes both tubulin subunits can be divided into N-terminal and C-terminal structural domains. The beta-tubulin (relative molecular weight around 50kD) is counterpart of alpha-tubulin in tubulin heterodimer. It is coded by multiple tubulin genes and it is also posttranslationally modified. Heterogeneity of subunit is concentrated in C-terminal structural domain. Applications: Suitable for use in Immunocytochemistry, Immunohistochemistry and Western Blot. Other applications not tested. Recommended Dilution: Western Blot: 1-2ug/ml under reducing conditions Immunohistochemistry: frozen Optimal dilutions to be determined by the researcher. Storage and Stability: May be stored at 4C for short-term only. Aliquot to avoid repeated freezing and thawing. Store at -20C. Aliquots are stable for 12 months after receipt. For maximum recovery of product, centrifuge the original vial after thawing and prior to removing the cap.
