Description: This FlowCytomix Simplex Kit is designed for the measurement of Human RANKL in an immunoassay analyzed on a flow cytometer. Together with the FlowCytomix Human Basic Kit (cat. BMS8420FF), this kit can be used to detect RANKL alone or can be multiplexed with other Simplex Kits to measure a variety of analytes.
This kit contains bead population A3.
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) related activation induced cytokine (TRANCE/RANKL) is a member of the TNF family emerging as a key regulator of the immune system in bone development and homeostasis. Overproduction of RANKL implicates in a variety of degenerative bone diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. Human soluble RANKL is a 20 kDa polypeptide produced by proteolytic cleavage from one of the three isoforms of RANKL.
RANKL is expressed on activated T cells, pre B-cells and activated mature dendritic cells (DC), suggesting that it plays a role in the T cell-DC interaction during immune response. Furthermore, RANKL is expressed on stimulated osteoclasts, where it induces osteoclastgenesis and osteoclast activation. RANKL mediates its effects via the RANKL-receptor (RANK/TRANCE-R), whereas its activity can be inhibited by soluble decoy receptor osteoprotegrin/osteoclast inhibitory factor (OPG/OCIF).
Imbalances of the RANKL/OPG system have been shown to be related to the pathogenesis of Paget?s disease, benign and malignant bone tumors, postmenopausal osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, bone metastases and hypercalcemia.
RANKL/TRANCE is an essential factor for osteoclast differentiation.
