The ABCA3 Antibody is an essential molecular biology reagent used to investigate ATP-binding cassette transporter A3 (ABCA3) — a critical protein involved in lipid transport, surfactant homeostasis, and cellular vesicle trafficking.
Encoded by the ABCA3 gene, this transmembrane protein is part of the ABC transporter family, which utilizes ATP hydrolysis to translocate phospholipids across intracellular membranes.
Studies in cellular biochemistry, molecular genetics, and lipidomics rely on ABCA3 antibodies to visualize and quantify the expression of this transporter in eukaryotic cells, particularly alveolar type II pneumocytes.
ABCA3 plays a central role in surfactant lipid formation, lamellar body biogenesis, and membrane lipid asymmetry, making it a major focus in membrane transport and lipid metabolism research.
This article explores the structure, function, and research applications of ABCA3, and highlights how the AffiAB® Anti-ABCA3 Antibody supports advanced immunological and cell biology workflows.
Molecular Function and Localization of ABCA3
The ABCA3 protein is an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter localized mainly in lamellar bodies and endolysosomal compartments of alveolar type II cells.
It mediates the ATP-dependent translocation of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) — essential lipids for pulmonary surfactant assembly (NCBI Gene Database, National Center for Biotechnology Information).
Structural modeling studies from RCSB Protein Data Bank reveal two nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs) and multiple transmembrane helices, typical of the ABCA subfamily.
This arrangement allows ABCA3 to function as an energy-coupled lipid transporter, cycling between inward- and outward-facing conformations regulated by ATP binding and hydrolysis (NCBI Structure Database).
Gene Expression and Regulation
Transcriptional regulation of ABCA3 is tissue-specific and developmentally controlled.
According to datasets from the GTEx Portal, the highest expression is found in lung epithelial tissues, with moderate expression in placenta and testis.
Expression is regulated by transcription factors such as SP1, NKX2-1, and PPARγ, as demonstrated in functional studies archived in PubMed Central.
The ABCA3 gene promoter region contains several GC-rich elements and CpG islands, suggesting potential epigenetic regulation via DNA methylation and histone acetylation (National Human Genome Research Institute).
Structural Domains and Protein Topology
ABCA3 comprises 1,704 amino acids, including:
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Two nucleotide-binding domains (NBD1 and NBD2) responsible for ATP hydrolysis.
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Two large extracellular loops with potential glycosylation sites.
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Twelve transmembrane helices forming the lipid translocation channel.
Bioinformatics analysis available from the UniProt Knowledgebase confirms multiple phosphorylation and palmitoylation sites, indicating post-translational modification critical for proper localization and activity.
Cryo-EM and in silico studies from NIH Protein Structure Initiative have modeled the lipid-binding cavity, showing conformational rearrangements that facilitate phospholipid flipping across the bilayer.
Applications of ABCA3 Antibody in Research
The ABCA3 Antibody is utilized across diverse experimental techniques aimed at analyzing protein expression, localization, and complex formation.
Western Blot (WB)
Used to detect ABCA3 expression in lung tissue lysates, cell lines, and membrane fractions.
Expected bands appear between 170–190 kDa depending on glycosylation status (NIH Protein Atlas).
Immunohistochemistry (IHC)
ABCA3 antibodies are highly effective for staining paraffin-embedded lung tissue, where they localize to lamellar body membranes.
Protocols optimized by Harvard Histopathology Core and Yale School of Medicine recommend antigen retrieval in citrate buffer (pH 6.0) followed by incubation with primary antibodies at 4 °C overnight.
Immunofluorescence (IF) and Confocal Microscopy
ABCA3 co-localizes with LAMP3, CD63, and surfactant protein markers (SP-B, SP-C) in fluorescent microscopy assays (Cell Image Library, NIH).
Flow Cytometry and Immunocytochemistry
The antibody detects ABCA3 on intracellular vesicles after permeabilization, useful in single-cell lipid transport assays and vesicle trafficking studies (Broad Institute).
Lipid Transport and Vesicular Function
ABCA3’s role in phospholipid sorting has been confirmed through lipidomic analyses using mass spectrometry and fluorescence recovery assays.
Its activity ensures correct lamellar body formation and contributes to membrane curvature maintenance in secretory vesicles (National Institute of General Medical Sciences).
The AffiAB® Anti-ABCA3 Antibody provides high specificity for detecting conformational epitopes of the native protein, allowing accurate tracking of lipid translocation events in live-cell imaging systems.
Experimental Models and Cross-Species Studies
ABCA3 orthologs have been identified in murine, bovine, and avian systems, displaying conserved NBD and TMH domains.
Comparative genomics from ENSEMBL Genome Browser shows >85% sequence identity between human and mouse ABCA3, validating cross-reactivity of antibodies in rodent models.
This makes the ABCA3 Antibody suitable for translational research, developmental biology, and comparative proteomics (National Institutes of Health).
Protein Interactions and Cellular Pathways
Protein–protein interaction studies using co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and proximity ligation assays reveal ABCA3’s association with:
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Surfactant protein precursors (SP-B, SP-C)
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Lipid-binding proteins (ABCA1, NPC1)
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Trafficking GTPases (RAB3D, RAB11A)
These interactions regulate the secretory pathway and endolysosomal transport, critical for vesicle stability and surfactant recycling (NCBI BioSystems Database).
Technical Handling and Storage
To maintain optimal reactivity and stability:
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Store the antibody at −20 °C or below, avoiding freeze–thaw cycles.
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Dilute in PBS + 1% BSA for short-term use.
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Recommended dilutions:
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WB: 1 : 500 – 1 : 2000
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IHC: 1 : 100 – 1 : 400
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IF: 1 : 200 – 1 : 600
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For extended stability, aliquot the antibody upon first use and store long-term aliquots at −80 °C (NIH Image Resource IDR).
Validation and Reproducibility Standards
The AffiAB® Anti-ABCA3 Antibody has been validated using:
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Western blot analysis with positive and negative cell lines (A549, HEK293).
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siRNA knockdown controls to confirm specificity.
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Immunoprecipitation + LC-MS/MS to identify interacting proteins.
Validation criteria align with guidelines from the NIH Antibody Registry and Research Resource Identification Initiative (RRID).
Integration in Omics and Imaging Research
ABCA3 is often integrated into proteomic and transcriptomic pipelines studying vesicular lipid pathways.
Using ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, and lipidomics, researchers can correlate ABCA3 abundance with lipid metabolic gene signatures (NCBI GEO Database).
Imaging data repositories like the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s Open-i host microscopy datasets demonstrating ABCA3’s co-localization with phospholipid storage compartments.
Key Research Applications
The ABCA3 Antibody is widely applied in:
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Cell biology — to monitor intracellular lipid transport.
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Molecular genetics — to characterize ABC transporter networks.
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Proteomics — to identify membrane-associated complexes.
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Developmental biology — to study epithelial differentiation.
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Membrane biochemistry — to analyze ATP-driven lipid dynamics.
Integration of this antibody into high-throughput screening and microscopic imaging platforms supports the discovery of novel molecular mechanisms behind lipid trafficking (National Center for Biotechnology Information).
Data Resources for ABCA3 Research
The ABCA3 Antibody serves as a critical molecular tool for studying membrane lipid transport, vesicle biogenesis, and cellular lipid homeostasis.
Through reliable performance in Western blot, immunofluorescence, IHC, and immunoprecipitation, it supports research on ATP-dependent transport mechanisms and vesicular organization across diverse biological systems.
The AffiAB® Anti-ABCA3 Antibody combines high specificity, lot-to-lot consistency, and broad application compatibility, making it indispensable for researchers exploring membrane dynamics, lipid metabolism, and cellular transport systems.
Its validated quality ensures reproducibility and precise molecular insights across fundamental and translational research environments.
ABCA3 Antibody – High-affinity reagent for lipid transport, surfactant metabolism, and ABC transporter research. Explore applications in Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and cell imaging for membrane biology and vesicular lipid studies.