Anti-Mouse IL-21R [Clone 4A9] — Purified in vivo GOLD™ Functional Grade

Clone 4A9 is a monoclonal antibody used in in vivo mouse studies primarily for blocking the Interleukin-21 Receptor (IL-21R, CD360), thus inhibiting IL-21 signaling in mouse models.

Key details regarding the use of Clone 4A9 in in vivo mouse studies:

• Target: Murine IL-21R, expressed on most B cells as well as some T cells, NK cells, and dendritic cells.
• Purpose: Commonly used for IL-21R blockade to study immune cell differentiation, the effect of IL-21 signaling in cancer immunotherapy, and autoimmune disease models.
• Functional activity: 4A9 has been demonstrated to block the biological activity of IL-21R in vivo, interfering with downstream Jak-1, Jak-3, STAT1, STAT3, and STAT5 signaling, which are crucial for T cell, B cell, and NK cell function.
• Applications: Used for in vivo blockade experiments, flow cytometry (FC), immunoprecipitation (IP), and sometimes for mechanistic studies of immune regulation.

Experimental context:

• Administration: Delivered as a purified IgG2a rat monoclonal antibody with low endotoxin content suitable for in vivo use (to minimize adverse immune reactions and experimental confounds), typically formulated in phosphate-buffered saline and free of carriers or preservatives.
• Study areas: Frequently applied in disease models such as cancer immunotherapy and autoimmune disorders, where IL-21/IL-21R interactions play a key regulatory role.

In summary, clone 4A9 is used in vivo to functionally block IL-21R in mice, thereby allowing researchers to study the consequences on lymphocyte biology and immune-related pathologies.

Based on the available information, clone 4A9 refers to a monoclonal antibody, and the correct storage temperature depends on the duration of storage needed:

Short-term Storage

For short-term storage, clone 4A9 should be stored at 4°C.

Long-term Storage

For long-term storage, clone 4A9 should be stored at -20°C. When storing long-term, it's important to aliquot the antibody and avoid freeze-thaw cycles.

Storage Buffer Information

The antibody is typically supplied in PBS (phosphate-buffered saline) or PBS pH 7.4 with 50% glycerol and 0.09% sodium azide. The concentration is usually 1 mg/ml.

Additional Storage Considerations

• Avoid freeze-thaw cycles to maintain antibody stability
• Aliquot before freezing for long-term storage to minimize repeated thawing
• Shipping temperature is typically on blue ice or at 4°C

The -20°C storage temperature is consistently recommended across multiple sources for this clone, making it the standard for preserving the antibody's functionality over extended periods.

The 4A9 antibody targeting Aldolase C is commonly used in combination with other antibodies or proteins to differentiate cell types and compartmentalize staining in neurobiological research. The most frequently co-used antibodies in published literature are:

• MAP2 antibody: Used for labeling dendrites and neuronal cell bodies to distinguish mature neurons from glial cells when co-stained with 4A9, which marks Aldolase C in glia.
• GFAP antibody: Stains astrocytic and Bergmann glial processes, serving to complement the Aldolase C 4A9 signal (which is mostly in Purkinje cell bodies and dendrites in cerebellum). This allows separation of neuronal and glial structures in tissue sections.
• Vimentin antibody: Used to label glial cells. Co-staining distinguishes Aldolase C-positive Purkinje cells (which do not express vimentin) from vimentin-positive glial cells.
• Hoechst or DAPI: Nuclear stains (though not antibodies, these are very commonly used with 4A9 for nuclear visualization in multiplex immunostaining).

These markers are selected for their ability to clearly separate neuronal, glial, and Purkinje cell compartments in both immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry workflows. Other antibodies or binding reagents used in multi-label experiments could include additional neuronal (e.g., NeuN) or glial markers (e.g., S100?), depend on the experimental context, though MAP2 and GFAP are the most cited.

In terms of alternative affinity reagents, some studies additionally utilize engineered binding proteins like Affimers, DARPins, or Monobodies as complementary or alternatives to antibodies in multiplex assays, though their joint use with 4A9 is less established than with classical neuronal and glial markers.

Current scientific literature does not provide specific key findings directly related to the "clone 4A9" in the context of scientific research results. However, the clone 4A9 is mentioned as a monoclonal antibody (mAb) specific to mouse Mincle, which is a receptor involved in immune responses, particularly against mycobacterial glycolipids like trehalose-6,6'-dimycolate (TDM) .

If you are looking for research findings involving the Mincle receptor or antibodies like the 4A9 clone, studies might focus on its role in recognizing pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and its involvement in the activation of macrophages to produce inflammatory cytokines and chemokines .

For more specific findings, one would need to look into studies that use the 4A9 clone of anti-Mincle antibodies in experimental settings, which might include immunological research or studies on cellular responses to infections.