FSTL1 Monoclonal antibody

Follistatin-like 1 (FSTL1), initially discovered as a TGF-β1-induced gene, encodes a 308 amino acid secreted 45-55 kDa glycoprotein with a follistatin domain and two non-functional calcium-binding motifs. FSTL1 has been reported to be involved in the fate determination and maturation of epithelial cells. Ablation of the FSTL1 gene in the mouse results in several structural developmental defects and neonatal lethality due to respiratory failure, demonstrating its functional importance. FSTL1 has been reported to exhibit both pro- and anti-inflammatory actions, with a specific anti-apoptotic and protective effect in cardiac or renal cell injury. Zwijsen et al. (1994) detected several isoforms of FSTL1 with molecular masses of 40 to 48 kD which differs from the 50- to 55-kD products detected by Tanaka et al. (1998) (OMIM).