The PGK2 (phosphoglycerate kinase 2) antibody is a research tool designed to detect and study the PGK2 protein, a key enzyme in the glycolytic pathway. PGK2 catalyzes the conversion of 1.3-bisphosphoglycerate to 3-phosphoglycerate, generating ATP during glycolysis. Unlike its isoform PGK1. which is ubiquitously expressed, PGK2 is primarily testis-specific and plays a critical role in spermatogenesis. However, PGK2 has also been implicated in tumor metabolism, where its re-expression in cancers may support aerobic glycolysis (the Warburg effect) under hypoxic conditions.
PGK2 antibodies are typically developed using recombinant PGK2 protein or peptide immunogens, yielding polyclonal or monoclonal variants. These antibodies are validated for applications like Western blotting, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and immunofluorescence (IF) to assess PGK2 expression patterns in tissues or cell lines. Specificity is confirmed via knockout controls or siRNA silencing.
Research involving PGK2 antibodies focuses on reproductive biology (e.g., male infertility), cancer metabolism (e.g., tumor progression biomarkers), and metabolic disorders. Its testis-specific expression and potential oncogenic role make it a target for diagnostic or therapeutic exploration. Commercial PGK2 antibodies often include validation data to ensure reliability across experimental models.