For in vitro diagnostic use.

FLEX Monoclonal Mouse Anti-Synaptophysin, Clone SY38, Ready-to-Use (Link), is intended for use in immunohistochemistry together with Autostainer Link instruments. This antibody labels presynaptic vesicles of various kinds of neurons, and hence is well-suited for the demonstration of synapses (1). Additionally, this antibody is useful for the identification of a wide spectrum of neuroendocrine neoplasms of the neural type, including neuroblastomas, ganglio-neuroblastomas, ganglioneuromas, pheochromocytomas, and paragangliomas. Moreover, this antibody detects synaptophysin in neuroendocrine neoplasms of epithelial type, e.g. pancreatic islet-cell neoplasms, medullary thyroid carcinomas, pituitary and parathyroid adenomas, and bronchopulmonary and gastrointestinal tract carcinoids (2, 3, 4). In addition to bronchopulmonary carcinoids, this antibody also identifies neuroendocrine differentiation in lung cancer as demonstrated by its reactivity with cell lines, e.g. from small cell lung cancer, extrapulmonary small cell carcinomas, and non-small cell lung cancers (5). The clinical interpretation of any staining or its absence should be complemented by morphological studies using proper controls and should be evaluated within the context of the patient's clinical history and other diagnostic tests by a qualified pathologist.

Crude fractions of coated vesicles from bovine brain (1).

In Western blotting of a fraction of synaptic vesicles of bovine brain, the antibody labels a band of Mr 38 000. Similar results were obtained with corresponding fractions from human, mouse and rat brain (1).

Electron microscopy shows that the antibody almost exclusively labels synaptic termini in brain and spinal cord, and specifically decorates the cytoplasmic surfaces of the presynaptic 40-90 nm vesicles (1).

The epitope recognized by the antibody is located to a pentapeptide repeat structure in the carboxy-terminal cytoplasmic tail of synaptophysin (7).

Ready-to-use monoclonal mouse antibody provided in liquid form in a buffer containing stabilizing protein and 0.015 mol/L sodium azide.

Clone: SY38 (1). Isotype: IgG1, kappa.

1. Wiedenmann B, Franke WW. Identification and localization of synap¬tophysin, an integral membrane glycoprotein of Mr 38,000 characteristic of presynaptic vesicles. Cell 1985; 41:1017-28.
2. Wiedenmann B, Franke WW, Kuhn C, Moll R, Gould VE. Synaptophysin: A marker protein for neuroendocrine cells and neoplasms. Proc Natl Acad Sci (USA) 1986; 83:3500-4.
3. Gould VE, Wiedenmann B, Lee I, Schwechheimer K, Dockhorn-Dworniczak B, Radosevich JA, et al. Synaptophysin expression in neuroendocrine neoplasms as determined by immunocytochemistry. Am J Pathol 1987; 126:243-57.
4. Stefaneanu L, Ryan N, Kovacs K. Immunocytochemical localization of synap¬tophysin in human hypophyses and pituitary adenomas. Arch Pathol Lab Med 1988; 112:801-4.
5. Jensen SM, Gazdar AF, Cuttitta F, Russell EK, Linnoila RI. A comparison of synaptophysin, chromogranin, and L-dopa decarboxylase as markers for neuroendocrine differentiation in lung cancer cell lines. Cancer Res 1990; 50:6068-74.

7. Knaus P, Betz H. Mapping of a dominant immunogenic region of synaptophysin, a major membrane protein of synaptic vesicles. FEBS Lett 1990; 261:358-60.