The MTCH2 (Mitochondrial Carrier Homolog 2) antibody is a tool used to detect and study the MTCH2 protein, a key player in mitochondrial function and cellular regulation. MTCH2. also known as BID receptor, is a mitochondrial outer membrane protein belonging to the solute carrier superfamily. It acts as a critical regulator of mitochondrial metabolism, apoptosis, and energy homeostasis by facilitating the integration of pro-apoptotic proteins like BID into the mitochondrial membrane, thereby triggering caspase activation and cell death.
Discovered in the early 2000s, MTCH2 has since been linked to diverse physiological processes, including lipid metabolism, mitochondrial dynamics, and insulin signaling. Studies highlight its role in metabolic disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer, with altered MTCH2 expression observed in obesity, diabetes, and certain tumors.
MTCH2 antibodies are widely employed in research to investigate protein localization, expression levels, and interactions via techniques like Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence. These antibodies are essential for elucidating MTCH2’s molecular mechanisms, such as its involvement in mitochondrial carrier pathways or its modulation of apoptosis under stress conditions. Commercial MTCH2 antibodies are typically raised in hosts like rabbits or mice, targeting specific epitopes to ensure specificity across human and model organism samples. Ongoing research continues to explore its therapeutic potential in metabolic and oncological contexts.