BMPR1B Antibody

Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptor Type IB, also known as ALK6, is a protein which in humans is encoded by the BMPR1B gene. It is a member of the bone morphogenetic protein(BMP) receptor family of transmembrane serine/threonine kinases. The ligands of this receptor are BMPs, which are members of the TGF-beta superfamily. BMPs are involved in endochondral bone formation and embryogenesis. These proteins transduce their signals through the formation of heteromeric complexes of two different types of serine(threonine) kinase receptors: type I receptors of about 50-55 kD and type II receptors of about 70-80 kD. Type II receptors bind ligands in the absence of type I receptors, but they require their respective type I receptors for signaling, whereas type I receptors require their respective type II receptors for ligand binding. By analysis of a monochromosome hybrid mapping panel and by FISH, Astrom et al.(1999) mapped the BMPR1B gene to chromosome 4q22-q24. Ide et al.(1997) compared BMP receptor expression in normal and cancerous prostate tissues. While BMPR1A and BMPR2 were expressed at similar levels in all prostate tissues, BMPR1B was expressed at a significantly reduced level in cancerous prostate tissue.