CD163 Antibody

High-Sensitivity Anti CD163 Antibody for Macrophage Polarization (M2) and Tumor Microenvironment Mapping.

1. Target Overview: CD163 & Macrophage Polarization

The CD163 transmembrane receptor is a definitive biological target in the immunology and oncology research network. Physiologically, it functions as the scavenger receptor for haptoglobin-hemoglobin complexes, clearing them from circulation to prevent oxidative tissue damage. Crucially, its expression is highly restricted to cells of the monocyte and macrophage lineage.

In modern immunology, researchers heavily rely on the CD163 macrophage marker to accurately immunophenotype cell populations. Because CD163 expression is powerfully upregulated by anti-inflammatory cytokines, specifically Interleukin-10 (IL-10), utilizing a highly specific CD163 M2 macrophage antibody is the gold standard for identifying "alternatively activated" (M2) macrophages. These cells govern tissue repair, tolerance, and immune suppression.

Clinical Relevance in Oncology: Macrophages that infiltrate the tumor stroma often adopt an M2-like phenotype to suppress local immunity and promote angiogenesis. A highly specific CD163 TAM antibody (Tumour-Associated Macrophage) is essential for mapping the tumor microenvironment (TME) and evaluating immunotherapeutic efficacy in preclinical models.

2. What are CD163 antibodies used for?

Key research applications include:

• Tumor microenvironment (TME) mapping and spatial biology
• Macrophage polarization (M1 vs. M2) studies
• Autoimmune diseases and systemic inflammation
• Biomarker discovery and patient stratification
• Evaluating macrophage-depleting drug efficacy

3. Recommended CD163 antibodies by application

Below is a selection of CD163 antibodies optimized for different applications in immunology and oncology research.

SKU	Product Name	Applications	Size	Price
orb13303	CD163 Rabbit polyclonal antibody (Most popular)	ICC, IF, IHC-P, WB	100 μg	$280
orb612214	Recombinant CD163 antibody (Highly Reproducible)	IF, IHC-Fr, IHC-P, WB	25/50/100 μl	$180
orb182468	CD163 Rabbit Polyclonal Antibody (Most Conjugations Available)	IF, IHC-Fr, IHC-P, WB	50/100/200 μl	$250
orb688824	Mouse monoclonal CD163 antibody	ELISA, IHC	50/100 μl	$190

4. Applications & Validation

Because CD163 localizes strictly to the cellular membrane and endosomal compartments, securing a highly validated CD163 antibody IHC / IF reagent is critical for accurate spatial biology. Biorbyt ensures rigorous quality control through positive/negative tissue screening.

• Immunohistochemistry (IHC-P): Extensively validated for Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) tissues, particularly in positive controls like human carcinoma tissues.
• Immunofluorescence (IF/ICC): Provides excellent resolution for co-localization studies (e.g., multiplexing CD163 with CD68 or CD206 to definitively confirm M2 polarization states in cultured human macrophages).
• Western Blot (WB): Utilizing a CD163 western blot protocol accurately detects the ~130 kDa full-length glycosylated protein in macrophage lysates.
• Flow Cytometry (FC): Compatible with intracellular or surface staining protocols for evaluating monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation in vitro.

5. CD163 biomarker and immunotherapy combination strategies

Because TAMs actively suppress anti-tumor immunity, targeting them is a major strategy in cancer therapeutics. Combining TAM-depleting therapies (such as CSF1R inhibitors) with antibody-based detection is a widely used approach in preclinical trials.

• Monitor TAM depletion directly within the tumor microenvironment.
• Assess the repolarization of M2 macrophages back to a pro-inflammatory M1 state.
• Validate the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in cellular and tissue models.

Typical Workflow: Treat tumor-bearing models with macrophage-targeting inhibitors ➔ Detect CD163 expression utilizing CD163 antibody IF or IHC ➔ Measure downstream effects on T-cell infiltration and tumor regression.

6. CD163 antibodies for diverse models

In addition to standard clinical research, validating macrophage phenotypes in preclinical animal models is essential. Biorbyt ensures high fidelity regardless of your model system.

• Human and Mouse Models: Choose a rigorously tested human CD163 antibody or a mouse CD163 antibody for tumor research.
• Rat ‎ & ‎ Porcine‎ ‎Models: We provide specific antibodies with confirmed reactivity in extended veterinary and toxicological models, perfectly complementing core translational workflows.

7. Why choose Biorbyt CD163 antibodies?

• Extensively validated for IHC, IF, FC, WB, and ELISA.
• Unrivaled coverage of macrophage phenotypic markers.
• Available in robust polyclonal, highly-specific monoclonal, and scalable recombinant formats.
• Guaranteed strong performance in core human and mouse samples.
• Extended support for specialized and non-mammalian model organisms.

8. Companion Bioreagents & Workflow Tools

To support your complete experimental pipeline, Biorbyt offers a comprehensive suite of reagents perfectly paired with our CD163 portfolio. From inducing M2 polarization to high-contrast tissue staining, these tools ensure complete assay compatibility.

Secondary Antibody Goat Anti-Rabbit IgG (HRP) Highly cross-adsorbed secondary antibody, optimized for extremely low background in IHC and Western Blot workflows. Active Protein Recombinant Human IL-10 Potent anti-inflammatory cytokine required for in vitro differentiation of monocytes into CD163+ M2 macrophages. Detection Kit DAB Substrate Kit Provides a crisp, permanent brown stain for brilliant immunohistochemical visualization of CD163 in FFPE tissue sections. ELISA Kit Human sCD163 ELISA Kit Quantify the soluble form of CD163 (sCD163), which is shed into serum/plasma during acute inflammatory responses. 

9. Scientific Bibliography & Validation Sources

• Etzerodt, A., & Moestrup, S. K. (2013). CD163 and inflammation: biological, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, 18(18), 2352–2363. doi:10.1089/ars.2012.4834
• Komohara, Y., Jinushi, M., & Takeya, M. (2014). Clinical significance of macrophage heterogeneity in human malignant tumors. Cancer Science, 105(1), 1–8. doi:10.1111/cas.12314
• Mantovani, A., et al. (2002). Macrophage polarization: tumor-associated macrophages as a paradigm for polarized M2 mononuclear phagocytes. Trends in Immunology, 23(11), 549–555. doi:10.1016/s1471-4906(02)02302-5
• Lau, S. K., et al. (2004). CD163: a specific marker of macrophages in paraffin-embedded tissue samples. American Journal of Clinical Pathology, 122(5), 794-801. ncbi: 15491976/
• Zola, H., et al. (2007). CD molecules 2006—human cell differentiation molecules. Journal of Immunological Methods, 319(1-2), 1-5. doi:10.1016/j.jim.2006.11.001