Antigen Background
Melan A, a product of the MART-1 gene, is a melanocyte differentiation marker recognized by autologous cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Other melanoma-associated markers recognized by autologous cytotoxic T cells are reported to include MAGE-1, MAGE-3, tyrosinase, gp100, gp75, BAGE-1 and GAGE-1. The analysis of these different molecules and their expression in individual melanomas may be of help in the study of their particular molecular roles in melanocyte differentiation and tumorigenesis.
Disclaimer
Melan A is recommended for the detection of specific antigens of interest in normal and neoplastic tissues, as an adjunct to conventional histopathology using non-immunologic histochemical stains.