The ICK (Ab-159) Antibody is a polyclonal rabbit-derived antibody designed to detect the Intestinal Cell Kinase (ICK) protein, specifically targeting the phosphorylated tyrosine residue at position 159 (Tyr159). This antibody is widely used in molecular biology research for studying ICK expression and phosphorylation in cellular contexts, particularly in human and mouse tissues.
ICK, encoded by the ICK gene (NCBI Gene ID: 22858), is a serine/threonine kinase involved in cellular signaling pathways. Its role includes regulating cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and cytoskeletal dynamics. The Tyr159 site is a critical phosphorylation hotspot linked to ICK’s enzymatic activity and functional regulation .
The antibody has been validated for detecting endogenous ICK levels in multiple cell lines, including 3T3, 293, and Cos-7 cells. Western blot analyses reveal a dominant band at ~65 kDa, consistent with the predicted molecular weight of ICK .
The antibody’s specificity for the phosphorylated Tyr159 residue allows researchers to study ICK activation under different stimuli. For example, treatment of 3T3 cells with PBS (10 μM, 60 mins) induced detectable Tyr159 phosphorylation, as shown in Western blot assays .
While the antibody exhibits high specificity for human and mouse ICK, cross-reactivity with other kinases or phosphorylated residues has not been extensively reported. Users are advised to confirm specificity in their experimental systems.
Antibodies-Online. (2024). ICK (Ab-159) Antibody Datasheet. Retrieved from antibodies-online.com.
SAB Biotech. (2024). ICK (Ab-159) Antibody Product Details. Retrieved from sabbiotech.com.
Dejnirattisai et al. (2021). The antigenic anatomy of SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain. Nature Communications.
Piccoli et al. (2021). Structural basis of SARS-CoV-2 neutralization by antibody 159. Science.
ICK (Ab-159) Antibody is a rabbit polyclonal antibody that specifically recognizes the region surrounding tyrosine 159 (T-D-Y(p)-V-S) in the human ICK (Intestinal Cell Kinase) protein. The antibody was generated using a synthesized non-phosphopeptide derived from this region. It has been affinity-purified from rabbit antiserum using epitope-specific immunogen chromatography, ensuring high specificity for the target sequence . This antibody detects endogenous levels of total ICK protein and is particularly useful for investigating ICK expression and function in cellular contexts.
ICK (Ab-159) Antibody has been validated for several research applications:
Western Blotting (WB): Recommended dilution of 1:500-1:3000
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)
Cell-Based ELISA assays for monitoring ICK protein expression profiles in cultured cells
The antibody has demonstrated successful detection of endogenous ICK in various cell lines including 293 cells, cos-7 cells, and 3T3 cells, making it versatile for different experimental systems .
ICK (Ab-159) Antibody has been experimentally confirmed to react with:
Human samples
Mouse samples
Western blot analyses have validated the antibody's reactivity across these species, making it suitable for comparative studies between human and mouse models .
For optimal Western blotting results with ICK (Ab-159) Antibody:
Prepare protein extracts from your cells of interest (successful results have been shown with 293, cos-7, and 3T3 cells)
Resolve proteins by SDS-PAGE (the ICK protein has an expected molecular weight of approximately 65 kDa)
Transfer proteins to a membrane using standard protocols
Block the membrane using appropriate blocking buffer
Dilute ICK (Ab-159) Antibody at 1:500-1:3000 in recommended antibody diluent
Incubate membrane with diluted primary antibody (typically overnight at 4°C)
Wash membrane thoroughly
Incubate with appropriate HRP-conjugated secondary antibody
Develop using your preferred detection method
The antibody has successfully detected ICK in various treatment conditions, including PBS-treated 3T3 cells (10μM, 60 minutes) .
For Cell-Based ELISA applications:
Seed cells in a 96-well plate and culture to 80-90% confluence
Fix cells with 4% paraformaldehyde (for adherent cells) or 8% paraformaldehyde (for suspension cells)
For suspension cells, pre-coat wells with Poly-L-Lysine
Permeabilize cells if targeting intracellular proteins
Block with appropriate blocking buffer
Prepare a 1:100 dilution of ICK (Ab-159) Antibody using Primary Antibody Diluent
Add diluted primary antibody to wells and incubate (typically 2-3 hours at room temperature)
Wash wells thoroughly
Add HRP-conjugated secondary antibody and incubate
Add Ready-to-Use Substrate and incubate for 30 minutes at room temperature in the dark with gentle shaking
Add Stop Solution and read absorbance
Including GAPDH antibody (commonly provided in kits) as an internal control allows for normalization of results .
For optimal performance and longevity:
Store antibody at -20°C for long-term storage
Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles, which can degrade antibody performance
The antibody is typically formulated in phosphate buffered saline (without Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺), pH 7.4, containing 150mM NaCl, 0.02% sodium azide, and 50% glycerol for stability
Working aliquots can be prepared to minimize freeze-thaw cycles
Expiration is typically 6 months from receipt when stored properly
To ensure experimental validity when using ICK (Ab-159) Antibody:
Positive control: Use cell lines known to express ICK, such as 293 cells, cos-7 cells, or 3T3 cells
Negative control: Include samples treated with synthesized peptide, which has been shown to block antibody binding
Loading control: Include detection of housekeeping proteins such as GAPDH to normalize for loading differences
Secondary antibody-only control: To assess non-specific binding
Specificity validation: Consider using multiple antibodies targeting different epitopes of ICK to confirm results
Western blot analysis has shown that pre-incubation with the synthesized peptide effectively blocks antibody binding, confirming specificity .
ICK has been implicated in the development of multiple organ systems, particularly in cardiac development. To investigate its developmental roles:
Temporal expression analysis: Use ICK (Ab-159) Antibody to track ICK expression across developmental stages in target tissues
Co-localization studies: Combine with antibodies against developmental markers to establish spatial and temporal relationships
Knockdown/knockout validation: Use the antibody to confirm successful reduction of ICK protein levels in genetic manipulation experiments
Cell-based functional assays: Employ Cell-Based ELISA kits to quantify ICK expression changes during differentiation processes
Phosphorylation analysis: Though this antibody targets total ICK, it could be used in conjunction with phospho-specific antibodies to study activity regulation
The antibody's specificity for the region around tyrosine 159 makes it particularly valuable for studying how this region may influence ICK function in developmental contexts .
When investigating post-translational modifications of ICK:
Phosphorylation studies: While this antibody targets total ICK protein around Tyr159, it is not phospho-specific. For phosphorylation studies, consider using phospho-specific antibodies in parallel
Treatment conditions: Compare ICK expression or modification across different treatment conditions, as demonstrated in studies with PBS treatment (10μM, 60 minutes)
Protein-protein interactions: Consider using ICK (Ab-159) Antibody in co-immunoprecipitation studies to identify interaction partners
Cellular localization changes: Use in immunofluorescence to track localization changes that may occur with post-translational modifications
Degradation analysis: Monitor ICK protein levels in response to proteasome inhibitors or other modulators of protein degradation
Understanding the antibody's exact epitope (around Tyr159) is crucial when interpreting results related to modifications that might affect antibody binding .
For robust quantification of ICK expression in Cell-Based ELISA experiments:
GAPDH normalization: Use the included anti-GAPDH antibody as an internal positive control to normalize ICK absorbance values
Crystal Violet whole-cell staining: Following colorimetric measurement, this method can determine cell density, allowing normalization to cell amounts to adjust for plating differences
Total protein normalization: If detecting phosphorylated targets, normalization to total protein can provide insights into the proportion of modified protein
Background subtraction: Always subtract values from secondary antibody-only controls to account for non-specific binding
Standard curve calibration: If absolute quantification is needed, establish a standard curve using recombinant ICK protein
These approaches ensure that observed differences in ICK expression are not due to technical variations in cell number or protein loading .
When facing contradictory results between different ICK antibodies:
Epitope differences: ICK (Ab-159) Antibody specifically targets the region around Tyr159. Other antibodies may target different epitopes that could be differentially accessible in certain experimental conditions
Post-translational modifications: Modifications near the antibody's epitope might affect binding efficiency
Antibody validation: Confirm antibody specificity using approaches such as peptide competition assays, as demonstrated in Western blots where synthesized peptide blocked binding
Experimental conditions: Different lysis buffers, fixation methods, or blocking agents can affect epitope accessibility
Cross-reactivity: Assess whether contradictory results might stem from cross-reactivity with related proteins
For comprehensive studies, using multiple antibodies targeting different regions of ICK can provide a more complete understanding of the protein's expression and function .
Important limitations to consider include:
Polyclonal nature: As a polyclonal antibody, batch-to-batch variation may occur, potentially affecting consistency across experiments
Cross-reactivity potential: While validated for human and mouse samples, potential cross-reactivity with other species or proteins should be considered
Epitope accessibility: Certain experimental conditions may affect the accessibility of the epitope around Tyr159
Non-phospho-specific: This antibody detects total ICK regardless of phosphorylation status at Tyr159
Detection methods: Sensitivity may vary between different detection systems (chemiluminescence, fluorescence, colorimetric)
Understanding these limitations is crucial for appropriate experimental design and data interpretation .
When evaluating ICK (Ab-159) Antibody against other commercial options:
Epitope targeting: ICK (Ab-159) targets specifically the region around Tyr159, whereas other antibodies may target N-terminal, C-terminal, or internal regions
Validation methods: This antibody has been validated by Western blotting in multiple cell lines and with peptide competition assays
Species reactivity: Confirmed for human and mouse samples, which may differ from other antibodies' reactivity profiles
Application range: Validated for Western blot and ELISA applications, while other antibodies may be validated for additional applications like IHC or IP
Phospho-specificity: Unlike phospho-specific antibodies, ICK (Ab-159) detects total ICK protein
Current research applications include:
Kinase activity studies: Monitoring ICK expression in response to various stimuli to understand its regulation
Developmental biology: Investigating ICK's reported role in cardiac development and other organ systems
Signal transduction: Examining ICK's position within cellular signaling cascades
Cell cycle regulation: Studying potential roles in cell proliferation and division
Comparative expression analysis: Using the antibody's cross-reactivity with human and mouse samples to conduct comparative studies
The antibody's specificity makes it valuable for distinguishing ICK from other related kinases in these research contexts .
Recent methodological advances include:
Cell-Based ELISA technologies: Allowing for quantification of ICK expression in intact cells without the need for cell lysis
Multiplexed detection systems: Enabling simultaneous detection of ICK alongside other proteins of interest
Automated Western blotting platforms: Improving reproducibility and quantification of ICK detection
Super-resolution microscopy: Enhancing the spatial resolution of ICK localization studies when using the antibody for immunofluorescence
Reverse-Phase Protein Arrays (RPPA): Allowing high-throughput analysis of ICK across multiple samples simultaneously
These technological advances have expanded the utility and reliability of antibody-based detection methods for ICK research .
For research integrity and reproducibility, maintain:
Antibody information: Full product details including catalog number, lot number, manufacturer, and storage conditions
Experimental protocols: Detailed methods including dilutions, incubation times, and detection systems
Validation data: Evidence of antibody specificity such as peptide competition assays or knockdown controls
Positive and negative controls: Documentation of all controls used to validate results
Image acquisition parameters: For Western blots or immunofluorescence, record exposure times, gain settings, and any image processing steps
This documentation is essential for research reproducibility and compliance with journal requirements for antibody-based research .
When introducing this antibody to a new experimental system:
Preliminary titration: Test multiple dilutions to determine optimal concentration for your specific application
Peptide competition: Confirm specificity using the synthesized peptide (T-D-Y-V-S) as a competitive inhibitor
Known positive samples: Include samples with confirmed ICK expression (e.g., 293 cells, cos-7 cells)
Knockdown verification: If possible, include ICK knockdown or knockout samples to confirm signal specificity
Cross-platform validation: Verify results using complementary techniques (e.g., if using for Western blot, confirm with qPCR)