Rabbit Polyclonal SCN9A Antibody

SCN9A antibodies target the protein product of the SCN9A gene, which encodes the alpha subunit of the voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.7. This channel is predominantly expressed in peripheral sensory and sympathetic neurons, where it plays a critical role in action potential generation and propagation. Nav1.7 is a key mediator of pain signaling, and mutations in SCN9A are linked to inherited pain disorders such as primary erythromelalgia (gain-of-function mutations) and congenital insensitivity to pain (loss-of-function mutations). Researchers utilize SCN9A-specific antibodies to study the expression, localization, and functional regulation of Nav1.7 in both physiological and pathological contexts. These antibodies are essential tools for immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and cellular imaging, enabling investigations into channel dysfunction mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain, small fiber neuropathy, and other sodium channelopathies. Additionally, they support drug discovery efforts aimed at developing Nav1.7-targeted analgesics, which hold promise for treating chronic pain with reduced side effects compared to conventional opioids. The specificity and validation of SCN9A antibodies are crucial, as cross-reactivity with other sodium channel isoforms (e.g., Nav1.8. Nav1.9) could lead to misleading results in complex tissues like dorsal root ganglia. Ongoing research continues to refine antibody-based methodologies to better understand Nav1.7's role in pain pathways and its therapeutic potential.