Human NGAL monomer-specific ELISA Kit

NGAL (neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin)
was first discovered in 1989 and, as its name implies,
belongs to the lipocalin family of proteins. These
are typically small secreted proteins characterized
by their ability to bind hydrophobic molecules in a
structurally conserved pocket formed by β-pleated
sheet, to bind to specific cell-surface receptors,
and to form macromolecular complexes. NGAL was
fully characterized and named in 1993, but has many
synonyms: NL (neutrophil lipocalin; HNL: human NL),
lipocalin 2, siderocalin, oncogene protein 24p3 or
uterocalin (in the mouse) and neu-related lipocalin or
25-kDa α2
-microglobulin-related protein (in the rat).
Human NGAL consists of a single disulfide-bridged
polypeptide chain of 178 amino-acid residues with a
calculated molecular mass of 21 kDa, but glycosylation
increases its apparent molecular mass to 25
kDa. In neutrophils (neutrophilic polymorphonuclear
leukocytes) it occurs in monomer and homodimer
forms with a small percentage of higher molecular
weight forms, and some of it is found in complex with
92-kDa human neutrophil type IV collagenase (gelatinase
B or matrix metalloproteinase-9, MMP-9).