Cox-2 Antibody Staining Protocol for Immunohistochemistry

Description: Prostaglandins are a diverse group of autocrine and paracrine hormones that mediate many cellular and physiologic processes. Prostaglandin H2 (PGH2) is an intermediate in formation of the prostaglandins. Two prostaglandin synthases that catalyze the formation of PGH2 from arachidonic acid (AA) are cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2. Cyclooxygenase-2, or Cox-2, is efficiently induced in migratory cells responding to pro-inflammatory stimuli and is considered to be an important mediator of inflammation. An alternative form of the protein, designated Cox-1, is constitutively expressed in most tissues and is thought to serve in general “housekeeping” functions. Both enzymes are targets for the nonsteroidal therapeutic anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDs. Cox-2 migrates with an apparent molecular weight of between 72-74 kDa, while Cox-1 is somewhat smaller, migrating at 70 kDa.