Monoclonal antibodies that recognize the type-2 activin receptor, ACTR2.

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were raised in mice against a bacterial fusion protein composed of the intracellular serine/threonine kinase domain of the type-2 activin receptor, ACTR2, fused to glutathione S-transferase. Three MAbs with high affinity toward the ACTR2 kinase domain were isolated, one of which recognized specifically ACTR2 expressed transiently in vascular endothelial cells. These reagents should be of use in the elucidation of mechanisms of transmembrane signaling by this member of the emerging receptor serine threonine kinase family.