OPT4 Antibody

OCT4 Antibody Overview

OCT4 is a transcription factor critical for maintaining embryonic stem cell pluripotency and reprogramming somatic cells . Antibodies against OCT4 are essential tools for identifying undifferentiated pluripotent stem cells and studying cellular differentiation .

Validated OCT4 Antibodies

Commercial OCT4 antibodies vary in specificity and performance. Examples include:

Table 1: Comparison of OCT4 Antibodies

False-Positive Signals

• Some commercial OCT4 antibodies (e.g., ab19857) produce non-specific bands (e.g., 55 kDa in mouse cells) and cytoplasmic staining, leading to misinterpretation .

• False positives in testis-derived mesenchymal cells occurred despite lacking OCT4 mRNA .

Validation Requirements

• Western blot and mRNA analysis (e.g., qRT-PCR) are mandatory to confirm antibody specificity .

• Recommended protocols:

  1. Use knockout cell lines as negative controls.

  2. Combine with secondary methods (e.g., siRNA knockdown) .

Clinical and Research Applications

• Stem Cell Identification: OCT4 antibodies distinguish undifferentiated embryonic stem cells (Oct4+/Sox17–) from differentiated lineages .

• Reprogramming Studies: Essential for verifying induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) .

• Cancer Research: Detects OCT4 in germ cell tumors and teratocarcinomas .

Limitations and Solutions

Data Reliability

• EU Affinomics Program: Emphasizes binder characterization via microarrays, Western blot, and immunofluorescence .

• Antibody Society: Maintains a database of therapeutic antibodies, stressing the need for rigorous validation .