Molecular tools for the study of titin's differential expression.

Although vertebrate genomes appear to contain only one titin gene, a large variety of quite distinct titin isoforms are expressed in striated muscle tissues. The isoforms appear to be generated by a series of complex, not yet fully characterized differential splicing mechanisms. Here, we provide an overview of the titin-specific antibodies that have been raised by our laboratory to study individual differentially expressed isoforms of titin. The staining patterns obtained in different tissues will contribute to the identification of both the particular titin isoforms that are expressed in the different tissues, as well as their intracellular distributions. In addition, antibodies to titin that are available are rapidly allowing for the refinement of our knowledge of titin's elastic spring properties. Knowledge of the nature and structure of vertebrate titins that may also be expressed in nonmuscle tissues may be broadened using these antibodies.