About CXCL4
This gene encodes a member of the CXC chemokine family. This chemokine is released from the alpha granules of activated platelets in the form of a homotetramer which has high affinity for heparin and is involved in platelet aggregation. This protein is chemotactic for numerous other cell type and also functions as an inhibitor of hematopoiesis, angiogenesis and T-cell function. The protein also exhibits antimicrobial activity against Plasmodium falciparum. [provided by RefSeq, Oct 2014]

About FITC
Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) has an excitation peak at 495 nm and an emission peak at 519 nm. The name FITC is a misnomer in that the isothiocyanate is a reactive form of this dye. Once FITC is conjugated to an antibody, it is simply Fluorescein conjugated. FITC is one of the most widely used dyes for fluorescent applications, therefore most instruments come standard with a 488 nm laser and FITC filter set up. FITC is commonly conjugated to secondary antibodies and used in applications such as flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry, and immunohistochemistry. FITC is relatively dim, sensitive to photobleaching and it is susceptible to changes is pH. There are better performing alternatives to FITC, like Vio®Bright 515, Alexa Fluor™ 488, iFluor® 488, CF®488A and DY-488. FITC is a long-time generic dye with no sole manufacturer or trademark.