Mouse GDF‑6/BMP‑13 Antibody

Growth Differentiation Factor 6 (GDF-6), also known as bone morphogenetic protein 13 (BMP-13) or cartilage-derived morphogenetic protein 2 (CDMP-2), is a member of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family which belongs to the transforming growth factor  beta (TGF-beta ) superfamily. The mature GDF-6 with 120 amino acids is a homodimeric protein containing the characteristic seven conserved cysteine residues. GDF-5, GDF-6 and GDF-7, which share 80‑86% identity, define a new subgroup within the BMP family. Like other TGF-beta superfamily proteins, GDF-6 is highly conserved across species. At the amino acid sequence level, human and mouse GDF‑6 are 99% identical. It has been reported that GDF-6 has multiple functions including regulation of myogenesis, regulation of chondrogenesis, bone morphogenesis, and neuron differentiation and survival. GDF-6 response is mediated by the formation of hetero-oligomeric complexes of type I (BMPR-IB) and type II (BMPR-II or Activin R-II) sereine/threonine kinase receptors, and the activation of Smad proteins (Smad 1, 5, and 8).