SALL4 is a transcription factor belonging to the Spalt-like (SALL) family, crucial during embryonic development for regulating pluripotency and maintaining stem cell populations. It is highly expressed in germ cells and embryonic stem cells, playing key roles in organogenesis and tissue homeostasis. The SALL4 antibody targets the SALL4 protein, which contains multiple zinc finger motifs enabling DNA binding and transcriptional regulation.
In diagnostics, SALL4 antibody is widely used as a sensitive marker for germ cell tumors (e.g., yolk sac tumor, seminoma) and certain somatic cancers, particularly aggressive subtypes of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Its overexpression in malignancies correlates with poor prognosis, aiding in tumor classification and residual disease detection.
Research applications include studying SALL4's role in self-renewal pathways (e.g., OCT4. NANOG) and oncogenesis. Aberrant SALL4 expression is linked to cancer proliferation, metastasis, and therapy resistance. Additionally, SALL4 mutations cause Townes-Brocks syndrome, a congenital disorder affecting multiple organs, making the antibody valuable for mechanistic studies.
Despite its utility, SALL4 expression in healthy tissues is limited, reducing cross-reactivity risks. Its specificity and functional relevance solidify its importance in both clinical pathology and developmental biology research.