Recombinant proteins are utilized in various applications in the life science industry, most of which are related to cell health and growth. Cell culture in academic and biotechnology labs, bioprocessing, stem cell cores, and advanced (cell and gene) therapy are all examples of their applications. Growth factors like fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and immunoregulatory cytokines like interleukin 2 (IL-2) are recombinant protein that cause cellular growth, differentiation, or proliferation.
Development factors regulate cellular growth and differentiation directly, whereas cytokines are immune system regulators that initiate immunological responses that might affect cellular differentiation and activation.
They are proteins that elicit their mechanism of action by binding to specific cell-surface receptors and activating signalling cascades. However, not all recombinant proteins are cytokines or growth factors; for example, recombinant human serum albumin (HSA) is an antioxidant and culture stabilizing agent.
Cells can be grown in the presence of recombinant proteins to elicit the desired physiological effects on the targeted cells, which are typically linked to cell health, proliferation, or activation before practical usage or analysis. As recombinant proteins are so essential in cell culture and therapeutic systems, there are various factors to consider when selecting one for your own cultures.
Source of Recombinant Protein
The expression mechanism utilized to create recombinant proteins significantly impacts the final product. Genentech’s use of E. coli to make recombinant human insulin was a watershed moment in developing active human proteins. The need for functional recombinant proteins has altered as research progressed in the years after this discovery. In some cases, glycosylation and post-translation modifications (PTMs) are required to achieve a protein’s intended activity; they are only possible through eukaryotic expression methods. As a result, insect and mammalian (Chinese Hamster Ovary – CHO) systems were developed. A human expression system is appropriate for human applications and research.
Product Information
The amount of information offered by the company about their recombinant proteins should provide you with an idea of the company’s validation process and, as a result, the product quality. Bioactivity (including bioassay validation), purity, endotoxin content, and SDS-PAGE validation should all be included. Bioactivity When comparing goods from different businesses, the bioactivity of a recombinant protein can be crucial. They’re usually given in ug/mL or pg/mL as an ED50 or EC50 (dosage that provides 50% maximum activity — lower is better). Alternatively, you’ll come across units/mg (higher is better) as these concentrations are assay-specific, so while they’re useful for comparing the activity of proteins from different businesses, it’s always a good idea to do parallel benchmarking of rival goods to figure out which ones are the best.
Growth Factors and Cytokines
Cell signaling pathways are required for cell development and differentiation, and growth factors are a part of them. Genext Genomics is proud to offer a growing range of recombinant proteins, such as cytokines, fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), interleukins, and neurotrophic factors.
Genext Genomics high-quality recombinant proteins are derived from humans, mice, rats, and other species and have a purity level surpassing 95% in most cases, as well as outstanding bioactivity and low endotoxin levels.
Most Genext Genomics recombinant proteins come from E. coli and mammalian cells, are fully physiologically active in mammalian cell culture. Our growth factors provide equivalent activity for your research at a fraction of the cost of other commercially available recombinant proteins, allowing you to spend your research bucks on what matters.