Collagen I antibody is a widely used tool in biomedical research and diagnostics, targeting the most abundant extracellular matrix protein in the human body. Collagen I, composed of two α1 chains and one α2 chain (α1[I]₂α2[I]), forms a triple-helical structure critical for providing tensile strength to tissues such as bone, skin, tendons, and fibrous cartilage. Its expression is closely associated with tissue development, repair, and fibrosis.
Collagen I antibodies are primarily employed to detect and quantify Collagen I expression in various experimental techniques, including immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence (IF), Western blotting, and ELISA. These applications help researchers study Collagen I's role in pathological conditions like fibrosis (e.g., liver cirrhosis, pulmonary fibrosis), cancer progression (e.g., tumor stroma remodeling), and bone disorders (e.g., osteogenesis imperfecta). In diagnostics, Collagen I antibodies aid in assessing tissue remodeling in biopsies, particularly in fibrotic diseases or wound healing models.
Commercially available Collagen I antibodies are often raised against specific epitopes, such as the N-terminal or C-terminal regions, with common clones including COL-1 (Sigma-Aldrich) and polyclonal variants from rabbits or mice. Validation typically includes reactivity checks across species (human, mouse, rat) and specificity testing to avoid cross-reactivity with other collagen types (e.g., III, V). Recent advancements in regenerative medicine and 3D tissue engineering have further driven demand for reliable Collagen I antibodies to monitor matrix deposition in engineered tissues.
Overall, Collagen I antibodies remain indispensable for understanding extracellular matrix dynamics in health and disease.