Uses
Anti-Bak antibody produced in rabbit has been used in immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry.
General Description
Bak (Bcl-2 homologous antagonist/killer, Bak1) belongs to the B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins. The bak gene is mapped to chromosome 6 and encodes a 233 amino acid protein with a predicted MW of 23.4 kDa. Bak shares homology with Bcl-2 in the Bcl‐2 homology (BH) domains (BH1 and BH2). Bak is expressed in a wide variety of cell types and tissues, with the highest levels observed in heart and skeletal muscle.
Biochem/physiol Actions
Bak (Bcl-2 homologous antagonist/killer, Bak1) is involved in regulating apoptosis. Bak can accelerate the rate of apoptosis when overexpressed in some cell lines. Increased Bak expression in normal and neoplastic intestinal epithelial cells results in apoptosis. However, expression of Bak in a human lymphoblastoid cell line, provided protection from apoptosis induced by serum deprivation and the oxidant menadione, suggesting that the function of Bak may be context dependent.
