MEF2A and MEF2C are members of the myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) family of transcription factors, which play critical roles in cellular differentiation, development, and survival across multiple tissues, including muscle, brain, and immune cells. These proteins contain a conserved MADS-box domain and a MEF2-specific domain, enabling DNA binding and interaction with co-regulators. MEF2A is broadly expressed in cardiac muscle, skeletal muscle, and neurons, regulating genes involved in muscle development and synaptic plasticity. MEF2C is essential during embryogenesis, particularly in cardiac morphogenesis and neural crest cell differentiation, with ongoing roles in adult neurogenesis and immune responses.
Antibodies targeting MEF2A and MEF2C are vital tools for studying their expression patterns, localization, and molecular interactions. They are widely used in techniques like Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) to investigate their regulatory mechanisms in health and disease. For instance, MEF2C dysfunction is linked to neurodevelopmental disorders, while MEF2A mutations are associated with coronary artery disease. Researchers rely on these antibodies to validate knockout models, assess post-translational modifications (e.g., phosphorylation), and explore context-dependent roles in cellular stress responses. Specificity is confirmed through knockdown/knockout controls or epitope mapping, ensuring accurate detection across species like human, mouse, and rat. These reagents remain indispensable for dissecting MEF2-mediated transcriptional networks in developmental biology and pathophysiology.