# Qkine > High purity, bioactive recombinant cytokine proteins and growth factors made for stem cell, organoid and regenerative medicine\. Generated by Yoast SEO v28.2, this is an llms.txt file, meant for consumption by LLMs. ## Pages - [About](https://qkine.com/about/) - [Contact](https://qkine.com/contact/) - [Terms and conditions of sale](https://qkine.com/terms-and-conditions-of-sale/) - [Privacy notice](https://qkine.com/privacy-notice/) - [Growth Factors](https://qkine.com/growth-factors/) - [Growth factors and cytokines for cell and gene therapy](https://qkine.com/cell-gene-therapy/) - [Food Grade Proteins](https://qkine.com/high-quality-food-grade-growth-factor/) - [Discovery and differentiation kits](https://qkine.com/growth-factor-discovery-kits/) - [StemCultures](https://qkine.com/stemcultures/) ## Posts - [Pep Talk July 2026](https://qkine.com/2026/07/28/pep-talk-july-2026/): We're pleased to share our July update, new product lines, distributors, partners and application notes\. - [Qkine Joins Organoid COMMONS to Advance Standardization and Scalability in Human\-Relevant Models](https://qkine.com/2026/07/02/qkine-organoid-commons/): Qkine will collaborate with fellow pioneers to establish the manufacturing standards and standardized frameworks necessary to accelerate the adoption of organoid technologies in drug discovery and clinical research\. - [Qkine to distribute Media City Scientific’s transformational chemically defined, animal\-free fetal bovine serum \(FBS\) replacement](https://qkine.com/2026/07/06/qkine-media-city-animal-free-serum-replacement/): Qkine to be a global distributor of Media City Scientific’s FRS™ Pioneer, a chemically\-defined, animal replacement solution to support routine cell culture in traditional basal media\. - [RoosterBio and Qkine Partner to Deliver a Single\-Source Platform of Cells, Media, and Growth Factors to U\.S\. Customers](https://qkine.com/2026/07/07/roosterbio-qkine-partnership/): Distribution agreement gives U\.S\. customers a single\-vendor source for high\-quality cells, bioprocess media, and recombinant growth factors - [Pep Talk May/June 2026](https://qkine.com/2026/06/24/pep-talk-may-june-2026/): So much has been happening at Qkine that we missed May \- oops\! Hope you enjoy our May/June update ## Products - [Recombinant human activin AB protein \(Qk127\)](https://qkine.com/product/recombinant-human-activin-a-b-protein-qk127/): Activins are members of the \transforming growth factor\-beta \(TGF\-β\) superfamily\, a group of proteins that play key roles in regulating cell growth, survival and differentiation\. In vivo activins exist as homodimers or heterodimers, the activin heterodimer AB is widely expressed and biologically active with similar functions to the activin AA homodimer\. Qkine recombinant activin AB is a bioactive 25\.7 kDa heterodimer, \animal origin\-free\, tag free and carrier free for improved reproducibility\. Qkine animal origin\-free recombinant human activin AB heterodimer is available to purchase and will be delivered within 6\-8 weeks\.\<\!\-\-EndFragment \-\-\> - [FRS™ Pioneer \- Fetal bovine serum replacement](https://qkine.com/product/frs-pioneer-fetal-bovine-serum-replacement/): The first member of our FRS family, FRS™ Pioneer is a chemically defined, animal origin free alternative to fetal bovine serum \(FBS\) for broad\-spectrum cell culture\. FRS™ Pioneer can be added to cell culture media in place of FBS to culture or cryopreserve cells without the use of any animal components or serum \(i\.e\. 100 ml of FRS™ Pioneer is equivalent to 100 ml of FBS\)\. This allows for reproducible cell culture and provides a cleaner background\. For primary cells, retain 1% FBS or supplement with additional growth factors to achieve full serum replacement \(app notes below\)\. To date, analyses indicate that intracellular signaling and cellular function are maintained between FBS and FRS™ Pioneer\-cultured cells\. - [GECKO™ \- adherence solution](https://qkine.com/product/gecko-adherence-solution/): GECKO™ is a chemically defined, animal component free mix of adhesion factors to support adherent cell culture\. Fetal bovine serum \(FBS\) contains a complex mixture of adhesion\-promoting factors that enable attachment on standard tissue culture plastic\. When culturing cells in serum\-free or chemically defined media, these adhesion cues are often no longer present\. As a result, many adherent cell types require an explicit surface strategy to support attachment, spreading, and early survival\. GECKO™ has been validated as a defined, animal\-free coating which supports a broad range of adherent cell types\. - [Recombinant human TPO protein \(Qk098\)](https://qkine.com/product/recombinant-human-tpo-protein-qk098/): Thrombopoietin \(TPO\) is a cytokine which stimulates the production and differentiation of megakaryocytes, regulating platelet production\. Recombinant TPO can be used to support the self\-renewal and maintenance of \hematopoietic stem cells\\. Qkine TPO is a 16 kDa protein, \animal origin\-free\, tag\-free and carrier\-free it has been manufactured to be highly pure and bioactive for reproducible hematopoietic stem cell culture\. \\Qkine TPO is also available as \cell therapy grade\ with extended quality testing and documentation \- \Qk098\-CTG\\\ - [HiDef® B8 stem cell growth medium](https://qkine.com/product/hidef-b8-stem-cell-growth-medium/): Defined Bioscience’s HiDef® B8 is a complete, serum\-free, defined formulation designed for the feeder\-free maintenance and expansion of human pluripotent stem cells \(PSCs\) in an undifferentiated state\. To better support small\-scale experiments and pilot studies, the HiDef® B8 400x supplement is offered in two vial sizes\. Standard vials prepare 500 ml of complete medium, while miniature vials prepare 50 ml, enabling convenient preparation of smaller volumes without excess waste\. HiDef® B8 contains insulin, ascorbic acid\-2\-phosphate, transferrin, sodium selenite, TGF\-β3, NRG\-1, and thermostable FGF\-2/bFGF\. The addition of further components is not required\. ## Application Notes - [Differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells \(iPSCs\) into astrocytes](https://qkine.com/application-note/differentiation-of-induced-pluripotent-stem-cells-ipscs-into-astrocytes/) - [Differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells \(iPSCs\) into microglia](https://qkine.com/application-note/differentiation-of-induced-pluripotent-stem-cells-ipscs-into-microglia/) - [Weekend\-free human induced pluripotent stem cell culture using thermostable FGF\-2 \(bFGF\) and animal origin\-free TGF\-β1 and vitronectin for improved colony homogeneity](https://qkine.com/application-note/weekend-free-human-induced-pluripotent-stem-cell-culture-using-thermostable-fgf-2-bfgf-and-animal-origin-free-tgf-β1-and-vitronectin-for-improved-colony-homogeneity/) - [Differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells \(iPSCs\) into dopaminergic neurons](https://qkine.com/application-note/differentiation-of-induced-pluripotent-stem-cells-ipscs-into-dopaminergic-neurons/) - [Differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells \(iPSCs\) into neuroectoderm](https://qkine.com/application-note/differentiation-of-induced-pluripotent-stem-cells-ipscs-into-neuroectoderm/) ## Technote - [Technote \| Activin A \(Qk001\) \| Vial recovery](https://qkine.com/technotes/recombinant-human-activin-a-protein-technote/) - [Technote \| GDNF \(Qk051\) \| Bioactivity vs alternative supplier](https://qkine.com/technotes/technote-gdnf-qk051/) - [Technote \| Activin A PLUS™ \(Qk005\) \| Bioactivity vs alternative supplier](https://qkine.com/technotes/technote-activin-a-plus-qk005-bioactivity/) - [Technote \| BMP\-2 \(Qk007\) \| Bioactivity vs alternative supplier](https://qkine.com/technotes/technote-bmp-2-qk007-bioactivity/) - [Technote \| BDNF \(Qk050\) \| Bioactivity vs alternative supplier](https://qkine.com/technotes/technote-bdnf-qk050-bioactivity/) ## Vacancies - [Head of Marketing](https://qkine.com/vacancy/head-of-marketing/) ## Cell Type Categories - [Osteogenic stem cells](https://qkine.com/cell-type-category/osteogenic-stem-cells/) - [Dendritic cells](https://qkine.com/cell-type-category/dendritic-cells/) - [Cardiomyocytes](https://qkine.com/cell-type-category/cardiomyocytes/) - [Endothelial cells](https://qkine.com/cell-type-category/endothelial-cells/) - [Intestinal stem cells](https://qkine.com/cell-type-category/intestinal-stem-cells/) ## Protein Family Categories - [BMPs and GDFs](https://qkine.com/protein-family-category/tgf-beta-superfamily/bmps-and-gdfs/) - [Colony stimulating factors](https://qkine.com/protein-family-category/cytokines/csf-family/) - [Epidermal growth factors](https://qkine.com/protein-family-category/egf-family/) - [Fibroblast growth factors](https://qkine.com/protein-family-category/fgf-superfamily/) - [Hepatocyte growth factors](https://qkine.com/protein-family-category/hgf-family/) ## Scientific Areas - [StemPro media](https://qkine.com/scientific-area/human-stem-cell-maintenance/stempro-media/) - [Drug discovery](https://qkine.com/scientific-area/new-approach-methodologies-nams/drug-discovery/) - [Oligodendrocyte](https://qkine.com/scientific-area/stem-cell-differentiation/oligodendrocyte/) - [Organoids](https://qkine.com/scientific-area/organoids/) - [B8 media](https://qkine.com/scientific-area/human-stem-cell-maintenance/b8-media/) ## Optional - [Sitemap index](https://qkine.com/sitemap_index.xml)