ASCL1 Antibody / Achaete-scute homolog 1, 100 ug

ASCL1 antibody detects Achaete-scute homolog 1, a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor that directs neuronal differentiation and development. ASCL1 acts as a master regulator of neurogenesis by activating transcriptional programs required for neuronal commitment and inhibiting progenitor cell proliferation. The ASCL1 antibody is widely used in developmental biology, stem cell research, and neuro-oncology to examine neuronal fate specification and transcriptional regulation.

ASCL1 is encoded by the ASCL1 gene on human chromosome 12q23.2. The protein is approximately 194 amino acids long and contains a highly conserved bHLH domain that mediates DNA binding and dimerization with E proteins. ASCL1 recognizes E-box motifs within target gene promoters to activate transcription of neuronal genes, including those involved in axon guidance, neurotransmitter synthesis, and synaptic formation.

The ASCL1 antibody detects a 45 kilodalton protein by western blot and exhibits nuclear staining in differentiating neuronal populations. ASCL1 expression peaks during early neurogenesis and declines as cells mature into neurons. It functions in concert with other transcription factors such as NEUROD1 and POU3F2 to coordinate the transition from proliferating progenitors to postmitotic neurons.

In addition to its developmental role, ASCL1 is reactivated in neuroendocrine tumors such as small-cell lung carcinoma, where it drives expression of genes promoting proliferation and neuroendocrine identity. ASCL1 also serves as a key transcriptional reprogramming factor used to convert fibroblasts into induced neurons in vitro, illustrating its capacity to initiate neuronal gene networks in non-neural cells.

Because ASCL1 integrates differentiation and proliferation control, it serves as a critical model for studying lineage specification and transcriptional reprogramming. NSJ Bioreagents provides a validated ASCL1 antibody optimized for its applications, supporting research into neuronal differentiation, tumor biology, and transcriptional regulation.