Need to understand where your protein of interest is expressed? Wondering if it's a viable drug target or biomarker? The Human Protein Atlas (HPA) is your answer: a completely free, comprehensive database that lets you explore the expression and localization of virtually any human protein across tissues, cells, and organs.
This guide will show you exactly how to navigate the Human Protein Atlas, what you can discover, and how to leverage this powerful resource for your research. You'll also learn about the crucial connection to Atlas Antibodies, the company founded by HPA researchers that manufactures the validated antibodies behind the database.
What is the Human Protein Atlas?
The Human Protein Atlas is a global effort to map where human proteins are expressed—across cells, tissues, and organs.
Started in Sweden in 2003, the project combines multiple omics technologies, including antibody-based imaging, mass spectrometry, transcriptomics, and systems biology, to create an unprecedented view of the human proteome.
Key HPA Statistics:
- Protein-coding genes: ~20,000 covered
- Proteome Coverage: of ~78% of all known human proteins
- Data Volume: Over 10 million high-resolution images
- Access: 100% open-access for academia and industry
The Human Protein Atlas is an unmatched starting point. And with Atlas Antibodies, you can translate those discoveries straight into experimental confidence.
Navigating the Nine Specialized Sub-Atlases
The Human Protein Atlas is organized into nine specialized sub-atlases, each providing unique insights:
| Atlas | Focus Area |
|---|---|
| Tissue Atlas | Protein and RNA profiles across human organs. |
| Single Cell Atlas | Expression data at single-cell resolution. |
| Subcellular Atlas | Localization in 35 different organelles and structures. |
| Cancer Pathology Atlas | Prognostic data and expression in 20 common cancers. |
| Brain Atlas | Detailed protein mapping in the human brain. |
| Blood Protein Atlas | Profiles of circulating proteins (potential biomarkers). |
| Cell Line Atlas | Expression data for commonly used human cell lines. |
| Structure/Interaction Atlas | 3D structures and protein-protein interaction networks. |
4 Ways to Leverage the HPA for Your Research
1. Validate Drug Targets & Therapeutic Windows
Before investing months in a new protein target, spend few minutes in the HPA to answer critical questions:
- Is it expressed in my target tissue?
- What about off-target expression in other organs?
- Is it upregulated in disease versus normal tissue?
- What's the subcellular localization (druggable membrane protein vs. intracellular)?
👀 Example: Searching for a potential pancreatic cancer drug target?
Check the Pathology Atlas to see if it's overexpressed in tumors but absent or low in normal tissues, this is a key indicator of therapeutic window.
2. Discover Liquid Biopsy Biomarkers
The Blood Protein Atlas shows you which proteins are detectable in circulation:
- Search your tissue-specific protein of interest
- Check if it's secreted or released into blood
- Assess its potential as a non-invasive biomarker
- Download concentration data from healthy individuals
👀 Example: Researching liver disease biomarkers?
Find liver-elevated proteins that are also detectable in blood samples.
3. Design Experiments Based on Real Localization Data
Stop guessing where your protein is and see it:
- View immunofluorescence images showing exact subcellular location
- Understand if it's nuclear, cytoplasmic, membrane-bound, or distributed
- Select appropriate cell fractionation methods
- Choose the right detection techniques for your imaging experiments
👀 Example: Planning a co-localization study?
Verify that your two proteins of interest actually occupy the same cellular compartment before starting experiments.
4. Identify Cell-Type-Specific Markers
The Single Cell Atlas reveals which cell types express your protein:
- Identify highly specific markers for cell sorting or lineage tracing
- Understand heterogeneity in expression across cell populations
- Discover previously unknown cell-type specificity
👀 Example: Need a specific marker for pancreatic beta cells?
Search and filter for proteins with highly restricted expression patterns.
From Database to Bench: The Atlas Antibodies Connection
Atlas Antibodies was founded in 2006 by the same researchers who created the Human Protein Atlas, specifically to maintain the highest antibody standards.
Here's what makes the Human Protein Atlas unique: every image you see was generated with a specific, validated antibody and you can buy that exact same antibody for your own experiments.
The connection between the Human Protein Atlas database and Atlas Antibodies creates a seamless workflow from discovery to experimental validation. You see the data, verify the quality, and order the exact same reagent, all backed by rigorous validation standards.
Over 300,000 researchers visit the Human Protein Atlas monthly, with Atlas antibody products cited in thousands of peer-reviewed publications worldwide.
Why This Matters: When you view protein expression data in the HPA, you're not just seeing theoretical predictions or computational models. You're seeing real experimental data generated with real antibodies.
Complete Transparency: Every antibody used in the database is identified, and you can access its full validation data, specificity testing, reproducibility across batches.
Zero Guesswork: When you order an HPA-validated antibody from Atlas Antibodies, you know exactly how it will perform because you've already seen it work in the database.
👉🏼Getting Started: How to Search The HPA:
1. Start exploring
Visit the Human Protein Atlas database at www.proteinatlas.org
2. Search for your protein of interest by:
Gene name (e.g., "TP53", "EGFR") or
Protein name (e.g., "Tumor protein p53") or
Ensembl ID or UniProt accession number
3. Find the atlas you need
Navigate through tissue, subcellular, cell lines, pathology amd much more data
4. Download data and images
All images and data are freely available
5. Order the antibodies
Purchase the exact antibodies used in the database at www.atlasantibodies.com