Osteocalcin (mouse) detection

Mouse osteocalcin is a vitamin K-dependent, calcium-binding, non-collagenous protein found in bone and dentin that consists of 49 amino acids. Produced only by osteoblasts, osteocalcin has been used as a unique marker of bone formation and resorption. Osteocalcin is also a hormone that plays a role in insulin regulation and male fertility. During bone metabolism, osteocalcin is released from bone matrix through the action of various enzymes, including one produced by osteoclasts. Unmodified Glu-type osteocalcin is produced by osteoblasts and is converted to active Gla-type osteocalcin; its binding to the bone matrix is enabled through the enzymatic conversion of glutamic acid to carboxyglutamate. Bone turnover can be analyzed by simultaneously measuring Gla-type and Glu-type osteocalcin. Most of the three glutamate residues are decarboxylated on osteocalcin (Glu-OC) when it is released into bloodstream from bone. Thus, osteocalcin is present in blood in both its Gla and Glu forms. Recent findings suggest that Glu-type osteocalcin may play an important role in the metabolism of sugar.

Alternate names: bone gamma-carboxyglutamic acid-containing protein, BGLAP.

ELISA kits for osteocalcin (mouse) detection

Gla-osteocalcin and Glu-osteocalcin can be assayed concurrently with the Mouse Gla-Osteocalcin High Sensitive EIA Kit (Cat. # MK127) and Mouse Glu-Osteocalcin High Sensitive EIA Kit (Cat. # MK129), respectively. These mouse osteocalcin ELISA kits allow for the relative evaluation of Gla/Glu-osteocalcins, thereby providing a measure of both bone formation and bone resorption.

These kits use a sandwich ELISA strategy to specifically detect the Gla and Glu forms of osteocalcin. The capture antibody is a plate-bound, solid-phased rat monoclonal antibody that specifically recognizes the C-terminal region of mouse osteocalcin. This is paired with labeled monoclonal antibodies that are specific for captured Glu-type orn Gla-type osteocalcin. Because mouse osteocalcin has C-terminal sequences that differ from other mammals, it is possible to measure mouse osteocalcin without any cross-reaction with bovine antigens. Therefore, the process of osteoblastic cell differentiation can be monitored in pluripotent cells, such as mouse ES and iPS cells, without interference from bovine serum included in the culture medium. Furthermore, these kits can be used for high-sensitivity measurements from a variety of samples, including cell culture supernatants, blood, or body fluids.

Antibodies for osteocalcin (mouse) detection

Monoclonal Anti-Mouse Osteocalcin (Clone R21C-01A) was obtained by fusing mouse myeloma cell-line P3U1 with the spleen cells of Sprague Dawley rats following their immunization with mouse osteocalcin peptide (amino acids 25–46) conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). The osteocalcin antibody was harvested from severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mouse ascitic fluid.

Polyclonal Anti-Mouse Osteocalcin, Clone mOC(1–20) antibody was raised against an N-terminal mouse osteocalcin peptide (amino acids 1–20) and specifically recognizes mouse osteocalcin.