Myoglobin
Myoglobin (gene symbol MB) is a monomeric haem protein of the globin family that stores oxygen and facilitates its diffusion within muscle tissue. PVALB is listed as an alias for the human MB gene. Browse Assay Genie's current range of Myoglobin research reagents below, or read on for the biology behind the target.
Myoglobin is a monomeric haem protein whose primary function is to store oxygen and facilitate its diffusion within muscle tissues. It binds oxygen reversibly through a pentacoordinated haem iron, which allows timely and efficient release when demand rises. NCBI describes it as being responsible for the storage and facilitated transfer of oxygen from the cell membrane to the mitochondria.
Beyond oxygen binding, myoglobin has additional activities that depend on the oxidative conditions of the tissue or cell. Its nitrite reductase activity lets it regulate the production of bioactive nitric oxide, and it plays a role in keeping physiological nitric oxide levels in balance. Under stress conditions such as hypoxia and anoxia, its pseudoperoxidase activity helps protect cells against reactive oxygen species. These properties make myoglobin a useful protein for studying oxygen handling and redox biology in muscle.
The MB gene encodes a member of the globin superfamily and is predominantly expressed in skeletal and cardiac muscles. The protein is found in the cytoplasm, specifically the sarcoplasm. HGNC places it in the globin family, and the gene has mouse and rat orthologs, both named Mb. Multiple transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been reported. Researchers working with the myoglobin protein may therefore need to consider which isoform and species are relevant to their experiments.
Myoglobin stores oxygen and aids its diffusion in muscle, so it is a core subject in studies of oxygen supply to skeletal and cardiac tissue.
Under hypoxia and anoxia, myoglobin's pseudoperoxidase activity helps protect cells from reactive oxygen species, which makes it relevant to cellular stress research.
Through its nitrite reductase activity, myoglobin regulates production of bioactive nitric oxide, linking it to studies of nitric oxide signalling.
Predominant expression in skeletal and cardiac muscle makes myoglobin a relevant protein for investigating the physiology of these tissues.
Myoglobin stores oxygen and facilitates its diffusion within muscle tissue, binding it reversibly through a pentacoordinated haem iron. It also has nitrite reductase activity that regulates nitric oxide production, and pseudoperoxidase activity that protects cells against reactive oxygen species under hypoxia and anoxia.
The official human gene symbol is MB, and PVALB is listed as an alias. NCBI Gene reports that multiple transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms exist for this gene, so it is worth checking which form a reagent targets.
Yes. Mouse and rat both carry an ortholog named Mb, and the protein belongs to the globin family. Orthologs allow muscle oxygen biology to be studied in rodent models; check the datasheet of any product for its validated reactivity.
Other targets with similar gene symbols, including muscle-related and MB-prefixed genes, with products at Assay Genie.
Gene and protein annotations from HGNC, NCBI Gene and UniProt P02144; product specifications from Assay Genie datasheets.