TSPO Antibody – Rabbit Polyclonal

Present mainly in the mitochondrial compartment of peripheral tissues, the protein encoded by this gene interacts with some benzodiazepines and has different affinities than its endogenous counterpart. The protein is a key factor in the flow of cholesterol into mitochondria to permit the initiation of steroid hormone synthesis. Alternatively spliced transcript variants have been reported; one of the variants lacks an internal exon and is considered non-coding, and the other variants encode the same protein. [provided by RefSeq, Feb 2012]

TSPO: Responsible for the manifestation of peripheral-type benzodiazepine recognition sites and is most likely to comprise binding domains for benzodiazepines and isoquinoline carboxamides. May play a role in the transport of porphyrins and heme. Plays a role in the transport of cholesterol across mitochondrial membranes in steroidogenic cells. Belongs to the TspO/BZRP family. Interacts with BZRAP1. May interact with STAR. Interacts with MOST-1. 2 isoforms of the human protein are produced by alternative splicing.

Protein type: Receptor, misc.; Membrane protein, multi-pass; Apoptosis; Mitochondrial; Membrane protein, integral

Chromosomal Location of Human Ortholog: 22q13.31

Cellular Component: mitochondrial outer membrane; nuclear membrane; mitochondrion; intracellular membrane-bound organelle; cytoplasm; integral to membrane

Molecular Function: androgen binding; benzodiazepine receptor activity; cholesterol binding

Biological Process: steroid metabolic process; apoptosis; positive regulation of apoptosis; regulation of steroid biosynthetic process; axon regeneration in the peripheral nervous system; anion transport; response to vitamin B1; synaptic transmission; behavioral response to pain; positive regulation of mitochondrial depolarization; protein targeting to mitochondrion; aging; response to drug; adrenal gland development; negative regulation of nitric oxide biosynthetic process; chloride transport; response to testosterone stimulus; negative regulation of tumor necrosis factor production; glial cell migration; lipid transport; response to manganese ion; cell proliferation; regulation of cholesterol transport; response to progesterone stimulus; positive regulation of calcium ion transport; steroid biosynthetic process; heme biosynthetic process