Anti-Mouse/Rat CD90.1 (Thy-1.1) [Clone OX-7] — Purified in vivo GOLD™ Functional Grade

Common In Vivo Applications of Clone OX-7 in Mice

Cellular Labeling and Lineage Tracking
Clone OX-7, targeting CD90.1 (Thy1.1), is widely used for cellular labeling and tracking in mouse strains that express this antigen, such as AKR/J, PL, and FVB/N. By binding to CD90.1 on the cell surface, it enables researchers to identify and monitor the fate of specific cell populations in vivo—particularly thymocytes, hematopoietic stem cells, T cells, and other cell types expressing CD90.1. This is valuable for stem cell research, immunology, and developmental biology studies.

Induction of Glomerulonephritis Models
A prominent application is the induction of experimental glomerulonephritis in rats as a model for human kidney diseases. Although this is most established in rats, CD90.1-expressing mice could, in theory, be used in similar models. Intravenous administration of OX-7 leads to complement-dependent cytotoxicity and subsequent glomerular injury, mimicking human nephritis. While this model is mainly rat-based, it highlights the potential for OX-7 in disease modeling where appropriate mouse backgrounds are used.

Functional Modulation of CD90.1-Positive Cells
OX-7 can functionally modulate cells expressing CD90.1 in vivo, due to its ability to crosslink and potentially deplete or activate these cells. This property is exploited for interrogating the roles of CD90.1-positive populations in immune responses, tissue repair, or other physiological processes.

Therapeutic and Drug Delivery Applications
There are experimental uses involving OX-7 F(ab)2 fragments as targeting moieties for drug delivery, especially in contexts where CD90.1 is highly expressed in specific tissues. Though most published work focuses on rats, the principle could apply to mice with the appropriate antigen.

Summary Table

Key Considerations

• Strain Specificity: OX-7 only works in mouse strains that express the Thy1.1 alloantigen variant (CD90.1), not those expressing Thy1.2 (e.g., C57BL/6, BALB/c).
• Mechanism: Binding of OX-7 can lead to cell depletion via complement-mediated cytotoxicity, making it useful for both labeling and functional studies.
• Limitations: Most robust in vivo applications are established in rats; mouse applications are possible but may require careful validation for each model and background.

In summary, the primary in vivo applications of clone OX-7 in mice are cellular labeling, lineage tracking, and functional modulation of CD90.1-positive cells, with potential for disease modeling and targeted therapy in strains that express the appropriate antigen.

Based on the search results, OX-7 (anti-CD90/Thy1.1 antibody) is commonly used in research alongside several other antibodies and proteins, depending on the experimental context:

Structural Reference Proteins

Beta tubulin serves as a classic companion for OX-7 in immunocytochemistry (ICC) experiments, where it functions as a structural reference marker and provides normalization for imaging studies.

Secondary Detection Antibodies

Anti-mouse IgG secondary antibodies are routinely employed with OX-7, since OX-7 is a mouse monoclonal antibody of the IgG1 isotype. These secondary antibodies enable indirect detection and visualization of OX-7 binding in various immunological assays.

Cell Marking and Visualization

In studies examining neuronal cells, OX-7 has been used in conjunction with peripherin staining to visualize sympathetic rat neurons through fluorescence microscopy. This combination allows researchers to assess neurite outgrowth, demonstrating OX-7's ability to promote neuronal development when combined with peripherin as a neuronal marker.

Complement Components

In models studying antibody-mediated cytotoxicity, OX-7 is examined alongside C3 complement protein to investigate complement-dependent cytotoxicity mechanisms. Research has utilized this combination to examine tissues including the kidney, adrenal gland, and thymus in rat anti-Thy-1 models.

The specific antibodies and proteins used with OX-7 ultimately depend on the experimental system, with the choice driven by whether researchers are conducting flow cytometry, microscopy, functional assays, or complement-mediated studies.

The OX-7 clone is a widely used rat monoclonal antibody targeting CD90 (Thy-1), and key findings from its citations in scientific literature emphasize its significant roles in cell biology and neuroscience.

Key findings include:

• Cellular specificity: OX-7 specifically binds to CD90, a GPI-anchored membrane glycoprotein found on thymocytes, neuronal cells, hematopoietic stem cells, immature B lymphocytes, and connective tissue in rats, as well as certain mouse strains (notably those expressing the CD90.1/Thy-1.1 alloantigen, but not CD90.2/Thy-1.2).
• Species cross-reactivity: OX-7 reacts strongly with rat CD90 and mouse CD90.1 (Thy-1.1)-positive strains (such as AKR and FVB), but not with Thy-1.2 strains (like BALB/c). It also reportedly cross-reacts with CD90 in other species, such as rabbit and guinea pig.
• Functional applications: OX-7 is routinely used for cellular labeling, flow cytometry, lineage tracking, and sorting of cells expressing CD90 in immunological and stem cell research.
• Neuroscience research: The antibody has been shown to promote neurite outgrowth in peripherin-stained sympathetic rat neurons, supporting its application in neurodevelopmental studies.
• Studies on adhesion and signaling: CD90, as detected by OX-7, mediates adhesion of thymocytes to thymic stroma and participates in signal transduction processes relevant to immune cell function and development.
• Disease models: OX-7 has been applied to induce glomerular nephritis in Wistar rats, demonstrating its functional relevance in in vivo disease settings.
• Technical features: OX-7 is used as an in vivo functional-grade antibody for depletion or tracking of Thy-1.1–expressing cells in animal models.

Summary Table: Major OX-7 Findings

These attributes have established OX-7 as a standard tool in research on stem cells, immunology, and neuroscience.

Dosing regimens of clone OX-7 vary significantly across different mouse models due to fundamental differences in CD90 (Thy-1) allelic variants expressed by different strains, as well as the specific experimental application being pursued. The variability in dosing protocols stems from the polymorphic nature of CD90 in mice and the diverse research contexts in which this antibody is employed.

Strain-Dependent Variations

The most critical factor affecting OX-7 dosing is the specific CD90 allelic variant present in the mouse strain. Clone OX-7 exhibits differential reactivity based on whether mice express Thy1.1 or Thy1.2 alleles. The antibody reacts strongly with Thy1.1-expressing strains such as AKR/J, FVB, and PL mice, but does not bind to Thy1.2-expressing strains including CBA and BALB/c. This fundamental difference means that OX-7 can only be used effectively in Thy1.1 mouse strains, inherently limiting its application across different mouse models.

The binding affinity itself varies between species and alleles, with the Fab′ fragment of OX-7 showing an affinity of 3 x 10⁸ M⁻¹ for mouse Thy1.1, which is tenfold lower than its 3 x 10⁹ M⁻¹ affinity for rat Thy1. This difference in binding strength likely necessitates adjustments in dosing when working with mouse versus rat models.

Application-Specific Dosing

The intended experimental application fundamentally shapes the dosing regimen employed. For flow cytometry applications, a standard approach uses 10 μL of the working dilution to label 1 x 10⁶ cells in 100 μL. However, this represents just one narrow application context, and dosing protocols are not standardized across different experimental purposes.

The detection method being used also influences dosing decisions. Different analytical techniques—whether flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, or other immunological assays—require optimization of antibody concentration to achieve optimal signal-to-noise ratios and minimize background staining.

Functional Study Variations

Beyond detection and analytical applications, functional studies using OX-7 demonstrate additional dosing complexity. The antibody has been used to promote neurite outgrowth in peripherin-stained sympathetic rat neurons, and has been reported to induce glomerular nephritis in Wistar rats. These diverse biological effects suggest that dosing must be carefully calibrated based on whether the goal is cell labeling, functional modulation, or disease induction.

The lack of standardization across protocols means that exact dosing regimens are typically determined empirically for each specific combination of mouse strain, experimental model, and research objective. Researchers must consider the interplay between strain genotype, binding affinity, desired biological effect, and detection methodology when establishing appropriate dosing protocols for clone OX-7 in their particular mouse model system.