Anti-mouse IgE mAb (MT44E), biotin

The main physiological function of immunoglobulin E (IgE) is to protect against parasitic infestation. However, IgE is also associated with allergy, and allergen-specific IgE antibodies may trigger allergic reactions in the presence of the allergen. IgE is normally found in low amounts in serum/plasma but is significantly increased in allergic individuals, and the detection of allergen-specific IgE serves as the basis for many in vitro assays for allergy diagnosis.

Immunoglobulin E (IgE) E is secreted by plasma cells as a monomer during the adaptive immune response. IgE antibodies are believed to play an important role in the immune defense against parasitic infections and in hypersensitivity type I reactions upon re-exposure to a specific allergen by binding to and cross-linking Fc receptors (FcεRI) expressed on mast cells and basophils. Allergen-specific IgE is the basis for many in vitro assays for allergy diagnosis. In mice, two allotypes exist: IgEa and IgEb. IgEa differs by 12 single-base changes from IgEb and is present in different mouse strains.