DatasheetSDS

Smoothelin is a constituent of the smooth muscle cell cytoskeleton protein exclusively found in differentiated smooth muscle cells (SMC). Smoothelin associates with actin stress fibers but does not interact with desmin. A short and long isoforms of smoothelin are produced by alternative splicing. The short isoform is expressed in visceral muscle tissue, including intestine and stomach, but not in brain, while the long isoform is expressed in all vascularized organs. In the vascular system, smoothelin expression is limited to large veins and arteries capable of pulsatile contraction. Cells with SMC-like characteristics, such as myofibroblasts and myoepithelial cells, as well as skeletal and cardiac muscle do not contain smoothelin. Smoothelin antibody has been reported to be a useful tool in monitoring SMC differentiation; and may aid in the distinction of terminally differentiated smooth muscle cells, smooth muscle neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract and the staging of bladder carcinoma.