- Activin A is a TGF-β family growth factor regulating embryonic development, cell proliferation, differentiation, and immune responses. Activin A is frequently used to maintain pluripotency in induced pluripotent and embryonic stem cell cultures. It is also used in many stem cell differentiation protocols, including endoderm lineage differentiation and further maturation into hepatocyte and pancreatic cells. Recombinant human/mouse/rat/bovine/porcine activin A protein is a high-purity mature bioactive dimer of 26 kDa. It is animal origin-free, carrier protein-free, and tag-free to ensure its purity with exceptional lot-to-lot consistency. This protein has been rigorously benchmarked against other commercial sources and extensively validated for highly reproducible stem cell culture. Qkine founder Marko Hyvönen developed the protocol for making high-purity activin A, and this protein is used at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute. High purity mature bioactive dimer. Animal origin-free (AOF) and carrier-protein free (CF). Rigorously benchmarked against other commercial sources.
- Human/mouse/rat recombinant activin A PLUS™ protein is an optimised biologically active truncation of the mature domain of human activin A protein. The EC50 and activity in stem cell culture of activin A PLUS is equivalent to the full mature domain activin A.High purity 24 kDa dimer comprising truncated mature domain of activin A protein, animal origin-free (AOF) and carrier-protein free (CF). Recombinant activin A PLUS™ is designed to be manufactured at scale for cost-effective, large-scale stem cell culture applications.
- R-spondin 1 protein (RSPO1) is the prototypic member of the R-spondin family and is used to potentiate Wnt signaling in many organoid culture systems including intestinal and tumor (cancer) organoid culture. R-spondin 1 is also required for hematopoietic stem cell specification and cancer cell migration and survival.Recombinant human R-spondin 1 protein (RSPO1) protein is the bioactive domain of human R-spondin 1 comprising the two cysteine-rich furin-like domains of R-spondin 1. Those are necessary and sufficient for Wnt signaling potentiation and are the essential domains for activity in stem cell and organoid culture.This protein has a molecular weight of 13 kDa and is animal origin-free, carrier protein-free, and tag-free to ensure its purity with exceptional lot-to-lot consistency. Qk006 is suitable to replace R-spondin conditioned media for improved reproducibility in chemically defined organoid culture media.
- Human R-spondin 3 protein potentiates Wnt signalling in and has been shown to function in crypt regeneration in the intestine and control stem cell and progenitor cell behaviour during kidney development. R-spondin 3 is used alongside R-spondin 1 in intestinal organoid culture systems.Qk032 is a 17kDa highly pure, bioactive domain of human R-spondin 3 comprising the two cysteine-rich furin-like domains, which are necessary and sufficient for Wnt signalling potentiation and are the essential domains for activity in stem cell and organoid culture. Animal origin-free and carrier-protein free.
- Human epidermal growth factor (EGF) protein is a potent EGF-family growth factor used in many human and mouse organoid and stem cell culture systems including intestinal and tumor organoid culture. EGF is also used in epithelial cell culture.Qkine human EGF (Qk011) is a highly pure, animal origin-free, bioactive 6.3kDa recombinant protein, making it ideal for use in chemically defined induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC), embryonic stem cell (ESC) and organoid culture media.
- Human/bovine/porcine gremlin 1 protein is a BMP-inhibitor present in the natural intestinal niche and provides an alternative to noggin for optimisation of intestinal organoid culture and iPSC differentiation.Qkine gremlin 1 Qk015 has been optimized by our experts to be an exceptionally high-purity 18 kDa highly bioactive dimeric protein, animal origin-free (AOF) and carrier protein free.
- Human fibroblast growth factor 4 (FGF-4) protein is used for the proliferation and differentiation of embryonic and induced-pluripotent and tissue (mesenchymal) stem cells and promotes neural stem cell proliferation. Recombinant FGF-4 is an important component of cardiac, intestinal and other organoid culture media.High purity and bioactivity 14 kDa, bioactive domain of human FGF4, animal origin-free (AOF) and carrier-protein free.
- Human/rat/porcine/bovine fibroblast growth factor 10 (FGF-10) protein promotes lung organoid formation and induces branching morphology. FGF-10 protein is used widely in organoid culture, embryonic stem cell (ESC) and induced-pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) differentiation, and for the study of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and tumor metastasis.Qkine Qk003 is a high purity and bioactivity 17 kDa bioactive domain of human FGF-10, animal origin-free (AOF) and carrier-protein free (CF).
- Human fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2/bFGF) protein (145 aa) is our gold-standard and recommended FGF-2 / bFGF protein for induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) and embryonic stem cell (ESC) maintenance, and iPSC and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) proliferation and differentiation.Highly pure and bioactive 17 kDa FGF-2 protein animal origin-free (AOF) and carrier protein-free (CF) comprising the core structured region (145 aa) sufficient for full biological activity.
- Recombinant human fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) protein (154 aa) is a highly bioactive, long–form of FGF-2/bFGF protein. FGF-2 protein is used to support the maintenance of human embryonic stem cells and proliferation and differentiation of induced pluripotent and mesenchymal stem cells. This 154 aa form of FGF-2 comprises the core structured region and N-terminal extension.Highly pure and bioactive 17 kDa FGF-2 / bFGF protein, animal origin-free (AOF) and carrier protein-free (CF).
- Zebrafish fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2/bFGF/basic FGF) has been used extensively to support the maintenance and proliferation of human and mouse induced pluripotent (iPSC) and embryonic stem cells (ESC), used in the original Ludwig et al feeder-free culture of embryonic stem cells protocols 1-3.High purity 17 kDa FGF-2 / bFGF protein, animal origin-free (AOF) and carrier-protein free (CF). This version of recombinant zebrafish FGF-2 is used by the core facility at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, UK and historically by many of the stem cell groups based at University of Cambridge.
- Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) is a pleiotropic cytokine that regulates various cellular processes, including cell proliferation, growth, differentiation, motility, and apoptosis. It is an essential growth factor in many embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cell maintenance media, including the commonly used E8, StemPro, and mTeSR media. TGF-β1 also promotes the differentiation of various cell types such as fibroblasts, epithelial cells, and immune cells.Human/bovine/porcine recombinant TGF-β1 PLUS™ protein is the first entirely animal origin-free recombinant human TGF-β1 protein for highly reproducible results and compatible with chemically-defined stem cell media.TGF-β1 PLUS™ is a high purity 24 kDa dimer comprising optimized mature domain of TGF-β1 protein. Our TGF-β1 PLUS™ protein has been extensively tested for maintenance of iPSC pluripotency by the specialist stem cell biotechnology company, Stemnovate, Cambridge, UK.*Benchmark our TGF-β1 PLUS™ against your existing supplier*
- Mouse LIF (murine leukemia inhibitory factor) protein maintains the pluripotency and self-renewal of mouse embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells. Qkine recombinant mouse LIF protein is bioactive, animal origin-free and carrier-protein free for highly reproducible results.
- Mouse/rat noggin is a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family antagonist used in the culture of intestinal, pancreatic, lung and tumor-derived organoids, maintenance of undifferentiated embryonic stem cells and for stem cell differentiation into neural and microglial lineages.Qkine recombinant mouse noggin protein is a highly pure 46kDa bioactive dimer for reproducible results (animal origin-free and carrier-protein free).
- Human noggin is a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonist which regulates cell differentiation and growth. Noggin is used in the culture of intestinal, pancreatic, lung and tumor-derived organoids and the maintenance of undifferentiated embryonic stem cells (ESC) and for stem cell differentiation into neural and microglial lineages.Qkine human noggin (Qk034) is a highly pure, animal origin-free, bioactive 46 kDa dimer for reproducible results in organoid culture.
- Human LIF (leukemia inhibitory factor) suppresses the differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and is widely used in ESC and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) culture.Qkine human LIF protein is a 17 kDa highly pure, bioactive, animal origin-free and carrier-protein free for reproducible results in stem cell culture.
- Human BMP-4 (bone morphogenetic protein 4) is a key regulator of embryogenesis and supports the differentiation of embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. In addition, BMP-4 protein plays roles in the differentiation of mesenchymal cells to adipocytes, epithelial cancer EMT, and regulating neuronal and glial cell development.Qkine BMP-4 is a highly pure, animal origin-free and carrier protein-free 24 kDa disulfide–linked bioactive dimer comprised of the mature domain of human BMP-4 protein.
- Follistatin-resistant activin A (FRACTA) protein has been engineered to prevent binding to the natural inhibitor, follistatin. In vivo activin A activity is regulated by follistatin, a high-affinity inhibitor; follistatin accumulates in stem cell culture, where it inhibits activin A.Qk035 follistatin-resistant activin A (FRACTA) has equivalent bioactivity to wild-type activin A (Qk001) but does not bind follistatin so is resistant to feedback inhibition. High purity 26 kDa dimer comprising engineered mature domain of activin A protein, animal origin-free (AOF) and carrier-protein free (CF). This specialised activin A has been developed in Marko Hyvönen’s group in the University of Cambridge.
- Recombinant human R-spondin 1 LR5 protein is engineered to act as a high affinity ligand for the LGR5 receptor. In epithelial tissues LGR5 marks the stem cell population. This engineered protein, R-spondin 1 LR5, activates Wnt signalling only in the LGR5+ stem cell population. R-spondin 1 LR5 has been tested in intestinal organoid culture and supports organoid survival and growth. As LGR5 specifically marks stem cells and is not found on transit amplifying cells, the lower crypt multiplicity seen in organoid cultures with R-spondin 1 LR5 (in comparison to wild-type R-spondin 1, Qk006) supports the notion that this engineered form is acting specifically on stem cells. This specialized form of R-spondin 1 was developed in Marc de la Roche’s lab (University of Cambridge).
- Recombinant bovine/porcine FGF-2 protein 145aa (bFGF/basic FGF) for the development of species-specific bovine (cow) and porcine (pig) cellular agriculture protocols and veterinary research applications. Used in comparative cell culture media optimization studies alongside Qk056, the 154aa form of porcine/bovine FGF-2.FGF-2 is used extensively in the maintenance and proliferation of induced pluripotent (iPSC) and embryonic stem cells (ESC) and for enhancement of proliferation in primary cell culture.Qkine bovine/porcine FGF-2 protein is a high purity 16 kDa protein, animal origin-free (AOF) and carrier-protein free (CF).