FITC-conjugated ELMO1 antibodies are valuable tools for investigating several critical cellular processes, including:
Cytoskeletal rearrangements during phagocytosis of apoptotic cells
Cell migration and motility
Interactions with DOCK1 and CRK in the formation of protein complexes
Rac activation in various cell types
Autophagy induction and bacterial clearance pathways
Platelet function and thrombus formation
These antibodies allow for direct visualization of ELMO1 localization and expression patterns in different subcellular compartments without requiring secondary antibody detection steps .
FITC-conjugated ELMO1 antibodies are particularly well-suited for:
Immunofluorescence (IF) at dilutions of 1:50-200
Immunohistochemistry on paraffin-embedded sections (IHC-P)
Flow cytometry for detecting ELMO1 expression in specific cell populations
Live cell imaging studies examining ELMO1 dynamics
The direct fluorophore conjugation eliminates potential cross-reactivity issues that can occur with secondary antibodies, making these particularly valuable for multicolor immunofluorescence studies .
When selecting ELMO1 antibodies, researchers should consider the following species reactivity patterns:
| Antibody Type | Human | Mouse | Rat | Other Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rabbit Polyclonal (ab155775) | ✓ | ? | ? | Not specified |
| Rabbit Polyclonal (BS-5807R-FITC) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Not specified |
| Goat Polyclonal (ab2239) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Not specified |
| Mouse Monoclonal (B-7) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Not specified |
Always validate antibody reactivity in your specific experimental system, as cross-reactivity may vary between applications .
When designing experiments to study ELMO1's role in neutrophil migration, consider the following methodological approach:
Model selection: Use both in vitro systems (isolated neutrophils) and in vivo models (such as zebrafish elmo1 mutants for live imaging)
Baseline characterization: Establish normal migration parameters in wild-type cells using time-lapse microscopy
ELMO1 manipulation: Compare ELMO1-deficient (elmo1-/-) neutrophils with wild-type controls
Complementation studies: Express wild-type or mutant ELMO1 in ELMO1-deficient neutrophils to assess functional rescue
Migration assays: Implement chemotaxis assays using inflammatory stimuli or bacterial infection models
Visualization methodology: Use FITC-conjugated ELMO1 antibodies at 1:50-200 dilution for co-localization studies with cytoskeletal markers
This experimental framework has successfully demonstrated that ELMO1 deficiency significantly reduces neutrophil migration speed and their accumulation at inflammation sites .
When using FITC-conjugated ELMO1 antibodies in flow cytometry, the following controls are essential:
Isotype control: Include a FITC-conjugated IgG of the same isotype (IgG1 kappa for mouse monoclonal or IgG for polyclonal) to assess non-specific binding
Unstained control: Include cells without any antibody to establish baseline autofluorescence
FMO control: Fluorescence Minus One control where all antibodies except ELMO1-FITC are included in a multicolor panel
Positive control: Include a cell line known to express high levels of ELMO1 (H1299 cells or HeLa cells based on validation data)
Negative control: If possible, include ELMO1 knockout cells (elmo1-/-)
Titration experiment: Perform antibody titration (1:10, 1:50, 1:100, 1:200) to determine optimal signal-to-noise ratio
These controls are critical for distinguishing specific ELMO1 staining from background or non-specific fluorescence, particularly important when examining subtle changes in ELMO1 expression or localization .
To investigate ELMO1-DOCK1-Rac interactions using FITC-conjugated ELMO1 antibodies, implement the following methodological approach:
Co-immunoprecipitation followed by immunofluorescence:
Immunoprecipitate ELMO1 using non-conjugated antibodies
Probe for interaction partners (DOCK1, CRK, RhoG) by western blotting
Perform immunofluorescence with FITC-ELMO1 antibodies (1:500 dilution) and antibodies against interaction partners
FRET biosensor approach:
Express RacFRET biosensor in cells of interest
Monitor FRET ratio changes to assess GTP-bound Rac activity
Compare FRET ratios between wild-type and ELMO1-deficient cells
Complement with FITC-ELMO1 antibody staining to correlate ELMO1 localization with Rac activation
Active Rac1 pull-down assay:
Use GST-PBD to pull down GTP-bound active Rac1
Compare Rac1 activation between ELMO1-expressing and ELMO1-deficient cells
Combine with FITC-ELMO1 immunofluorescence to correlate protein localization with function
This combined approach has successfully demonstrated that ELMO1 deficiency results in reduced Rac binding to GTP, confirming ELMO1's role in Rac activation pathways .
For optimal FITC-ELMO1 antibody staining, consider these fixation and permeabilization methods based on application:
For immunofluorescence in cultured cells:
Methanol fixation (shown effective for HeLa cells)
10 minutes at -20°C for preservation of cytoskeletal structures
Alternative: 4% paraformaldehyde (10 minutes at room temperature) followed by 0.1% Triton X-100 permeabilization (5 minutes)
For tissue sections:
Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) sections
Heat-mediated antigen retrieval with sodium citrate buffer (pH 6.0)
20 minutes boiling followed by 15-minute antibody incubation at room temperature
For flow cytometry:
2% paraformaldehyde (10 minutes at room temperature)
0.1% saponin in PBS for permeabilization
Maintain 0.1% saponin in all washing and incubation steps
These methods have been validated in the literature, with methanol fixation specifically noted in product documentation for ELMO1 antibody ab155775 .
When encountering non-specific binding with FITC-conjugated ELMO1 antibodies, implement this systematic troubleshooting approach:
Increase blocking stringency:
Extend blocking time to 1-2 hours
Use 5-10% serum from the same species as secondary antibody
Include 0.1-0.3% Triton X-100 in blocking solution
Consider adding 1% BSA and 0.1% cold fish skin gelatin
Optimize antibody concentration:
Perform a titration experiment (1:50, 1:100, 1:200, 1:500)
Select the dilution with highest specific signal and lowest background
Modify washing protocols:
Increase number of washes (5-6 times)
Extend wash duration (10 minutes per wash)
Add 0.05% Tween-20 to wash buffers
Include validated controls:
ELMO1 knockout or knockdown samples
Peptide competition assay using the immunizing peptide
Consider autofluorescence reduction:
Treat samples with 0.1% Sudan Black B in 70% ethanol
Alternatively, use commercial autofluorescence reducers
These steps have helped researchers achieve specific ELMO1 staining in challenging tissue samples like human lymphoid tissue and neuronal tissue .
When interpreting ELMO1 localization changes visualized with FITC-conjugated antibodies, consider:
Baseline cellular distribution:
ELMO1 is primarily cytoplasmic under resting conditions
Observe for punctate structures that may represent intracellular vesicles
Translocation patterns:
Membrane recruitment during phagocytosis or cell migration
Co-localization with DOCK1/2 at membrane protrusions
Association with autophagosomal structures marked by LC3B after bacterial infection
Context-dependent interpretation:
In neutrophils: Translocation to the leading edge during chemotaxis
In macrophages: Association with phagocytic cups and intracellular vesicles
In platelets: Distribution changes during spreading and activation
Quantitative assessment:
Measure intensity ratios between different cellular compartments
Track temporal changes in localization following stimulation
Correlate localization changes with functional outcomes
Studies have demonstrated that ELMO1 can be found in intracellular vesicles and exhibits enhanced accumulation of LC3B following engulfment of bacteria or treatment with autophagy-inducing rapamycin, indicating its role in autophagy pathways .
To investigate ELMO1's role in autophagy using FITC-conjugated antibodies, implement this methodological approach:
Co-localization studies:
Use FITC-ELMO1 antibodies (1:100 dilution) together with markers for:
LC3B (autophagosome marker)
ATG5 (early autophagy protein)
ULK1 (autophagy initiation kinase)
Quantify co-localization under basal conditions and after autophagy induction
Autophagic flux assessment:
Treat cells with bafilomycin A1 to block lysosomal degradation
Monitor ELMO1 association with accumulated autophagosomes
Compare ELMO1-autophagosome association in control vs. autophagy-deficient cells
LC3-associated phagocytosis (LAP) assay:
Expose cells to phagocytic stimuli (bacteria, zymosan)
Visualize ELMO1 localization to LC3+ phagosomes
Compare LAP efficiency between wild-type and ELMO1-deficient cells
pH and proteolytic activity assessment:
Use pH-sensitive dyes to monitor phagosomal acidification
Employ DQ-BSA beads to assess proteolytic activity in phagosomes
Compare between control and ELMO1-depleted cells
Research has demonstrated that ELMO1 regulates LC3B accumulation through ATG5-dependent but ULK1-independent mechanisms, suggesting preferential involvement in LC3-associated phagocytosis rather than classical autophagy .
When studying ELMO1 variants using antibody-based approaches, researchers should consider these methodological aspects:
Epitope accessibility:
Check if the variant affects the antibody binding site
For C-terminal antibodies (like ab155775), variants affecting C-terminal structure may reduce detection
Use multiple antibodies targeting different epitopes for verification
Expression system selection:
Consider transient expression in relevant cell types
Zebrafish elmo1 mutants provide an excellent in vivo system for functional verification
Ensure physiological expression levels to avoid artifacts
Functional domain analysis:
Use FITC-ELMO1 antibodies to assess localization of variants affecting:
ELMO Inhibitory Domain (EID)
PH domain (interacts with DOCK or RAC)
RhoG binding regions
Compare wild-type vs. variant localization patterns
Controls for variant studies:
Include known functional variants (p.E90K, p.D194G)
Include known loss-of-function variants (p.R354X)
Perform functional rescue experiments in ELMO1-deficient backgrounds
Functional verification of human ELMO1 variants using zebrafish neutrophils has demonstrated that variants p.E90K and p.D194G maintain functional activity, while the p.R354X variant fails to rescue the migration defects in ELMO1-deficient cells .
For investigating ELMO1's role in autoimmune diseases using FITC-conjugated antibodies, implement this research strategy:
Tissue-specific expression analysis:
Compare ELMO1 expression in tissues from patients with autoimmune diseases vs. healthy controls
Use FITC-ELMO1 antibodies (1:50-200 dilution) for immunohistochemistry on patient samples
Quantify expression differences and correlate with disease severity
Immune cell phenotyping:
Perform flow cytometry using FITC-ELMO1 antibodies on:
Neutrophils (key ELMO1-expressing cells in rheumatoid arthritis)
Macrophages/monocytes
T and B lymphocytes
Compare expression patterns between patient and control immune cells
Functional studies in disease models:
Use ELMO1-FITC to track neutrophil behavior in arthritis models
Correlate ELMO1 expression with neutrophil accumulation at inflammatory sites
Assess the impact of disease-associated ELMO1 variants on protein localization
Single-cell analysis approach:
Combine FITC-ELMO1 antibody staining with single-cell RNA sequencing
Identify cell populations with altered ELMO1 expression in disease states
Correlate with expression of other disease-relevant genes
Research has identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the ELMO1 gene associated with rheumatoid arthritis, with ELMO1 deficiency in neutrophils specifically protecting against inflammatory arthritis in mouse models .
To investigate ELMO1's role in platelet function using FITC-conjugated antibodies, implement the following methodology:
Platelet isolation and activation studies:
Isolate platelets from wild-type and ELMO1-deficient models
Activate with various agonists (GPVI agonists, PAR4 agonists)
Use FITC-ELMO1 antibodies to track protein localization during activation
Correlate with functional readouts (aggregation, secretion, spreading)
Integrative functional assessment:
Analyze platelet aggregation in response to various agonists
Measure granule secretion and integrin αIIbβ3 activation
Quantify thromboxane generation
Compare results between wild-type and ELMO1-deficient platelets
Spreading dynamics visualization:
Perform real-time imaging of platelets spreading on immobilized fibrinogen
Track ELMO1-FITC localization during spreading
Quantify spreading kinetics and correlate with ELMO1 distribution
RhoG activity correlation:
Measure RhoG activation in platelets following GPVI stimulation
Compare RhoG activity between wild-type and ELMO1-deficient platelets
Correlate with ELMO1 localization patterns
Research has demonstrated that ELMO1 deficiency enhances platelet function, with ELMO1-/- platelets showing enhanced aggregation, granule secretion, integrin activation, and thromboxane generation in response to GPVI agonists, suggesting ELMO1 negatively regulates GPVI-mediated thrombus formation via RhoG .