Ly6G

Ly6G is a cell-surface protein expressed primarily on neutrophils and their precursors in mice. It is encoded by the Ly6g gene and belongs to the Ly6 family of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins, characterized by a small extracellular domain with multiple cysteines. Ly6G is commonly used as a specific marker of neutrophils in flow cytometry and related assays, often in combination with other markers such as CD11b to identify granulocytes.

In terms of structure and relation to the Ly6 family, Ly6G shares the characteristic Ly6/uPAR domain and GPI anchorage that define this group of proteins. These proteins are generally small, membrane-anchored glycoproteins, and their exact cellular roles are still being investigated. For Ly6G, the precise function remains not fully understood, but it is associated with mature neutrophils and is used to distinguish neutrophil populations in immunological studies.

A key utility in research is the selective depletion of neutrophils using anti-Ly6G monoclonal antibodies, such as 1A8, which target Ly6G specifically. This allows investigators to study neutrophil-specific effects in inflammation and infection models. By contrast, antibodies that recognize the broader Gr-1 antigen (RB6-8C5) can deplete both Ly6G and Ly6C-expressing cells, including some monocytes, making selectivity an important consideration in experimental design.

Ly6G is primarily a mouse-research marker; humans do not express a direct Ly6G ortholog, and human neutrophil studies commonly use different markers. The Ly6 gene family remains of interest for understanding neutrophil biology and immune regulation.