Specificity
This antibody recognises chicken Interferon alpha (chIFNa). Similarities exist between chicken IFN and mammalian IFNI, revealing the conservation of cysteine residues and the existence of around ten closely related intron-less IFN alpha genes , chIFN-alpha genes are strongly expressed following viral infection of monocyte-derived macrophage and embryo fibroblasts and acts as a potent antiviral agent. Rabbit anti Chicken interferon alpha antibody (AHP943Z) cross reacts with IFN beta in western blots but does not show any cross reactivity with IFN gamma and in bioassays, Rabbit anti Chicken interferon alpha antibody neutralizes chIFN-alpha, but not chIFN-beta, and can therefore be used to discriminate IFN alpha and IFN beta bioactivities.