Anti-CD46 Antibody

The CD46 protein, also called Membrane Cofactor Protein (MCP), is a type I transmembrane regulator of the complement cascade. It acts as a cofactor for factor I-mediated inactivation of C3b and C4b, helping host cells resist autologous complement deposition. This unconjugated polyclonal reagent from Antibodies.com is raised in rabbit and is validated for three research workflows on human samples: Western blot (WB), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and immunofluorescence (IF). Each vial contains 100 µl of liquid antibody, and the polyclonal clonality means the reagent binds multiple epitopes across the CD46 extracellular and cytoplasmic regions.

CD46 is expressed on virtually every nucleated human cell type, and it is exploited as an attachment receptor by pathogens including measles virus and several adenovirus serotypes, making this antibody useful in studies of complement regulation, viral entry, and infectious disease. Reproductive immunology researchers also rely on CD46 detection, since trophoblast expression of the protein shields the developing fetus from maternal complement attack. In oncology, CD46 upregulation is associated with tumor immune evasion and is being explored as a target for antibody-drug conjugates and CAR-based therapies. Common readouts include detection of the characteristic 45-70 kDa CD46 band in Western blots of cultured cell lysates, membrane-localized staining in IF on fixed cells, and tissue-level expression profiling in IHC sections.

Storage and handling: keep refrigerated, avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles, and aliquot on first use to preserve activity over multiple experiments. The unconjugated format allows pairing with secondary antibodies of the user's choice for chromogenic, fluorescent, or chemiluminescent detection. For research use only.