Basic fibroblast growth factor is a member of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family. FGF family members possess broad mitogenic and cell survival activities, and are involved in a variety of biological processes, including embryonic development, cell growth, morphogenesis, tissue repair, tumor growth and invasion. This protein functions as a modifier of endothelial cell migration and proliferation, as well as an angiogenic factor. It acts as a mitogen for a variety of mesoderm- and neuroectoderm-derived cells in vitro, thus is thought to be involved in organogenesis. Three alternatively spliced variants encoding different isoforms have been described. The heparin-binding growth factors are angiogenic agents in vivo and are potent mitogens for a variety of cell types in vitro. There are differences in the tissue distribution and concentration of these 2 growth factors.
Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 Human Recombinant (FGF-2) produced in E. coli is a single, non-glycosylated, polypeptide chain containing 155 amino acids and having a molecular mass of 17353 Dalton. The FGF-b is purified by proprietary chromatographic techniques. The protein was lyophilized from a concentrated (1mg/ml) solution in PBS, pH 7.4. Purity is greater than 96.0% as determined by RP-HPLC and SDS-PAGE. The ED50, calculated by the dose-dependant proliferation of BAF3 cells expressing FGF receptors (measured by 3H-thymidine uptake) is <0.5 ng/ml, corresponding to a specific activity of 2 x 106 units/mg.
Protein quantitation was carried out by two independent methods: 1)UV spectroscopy at 280 nm using the absorbency value of 0.8511 as the extinction coefficient for a 0.1% (1mg/ml) solution. This value is calculated by the PC GENE computer analysis program of protein sequences (IntelliGenetics). 2) Analysis by RP-HPLC, using a calibrated solution of Fibroblast Growth Factor-b as a Reference Standard.
Amino Acid Sequence: MAAGSITTLP ALPEDGGSGA FPPGHFKDPK RLYCKNGGFF LRIHPDGRVD GVREKSDPHI KLQLQAEERG VVSIKGVCAN RYLAMKEDGR LLASKCVTDE CFFFERLESN NYNTYRSRKY TSWYVALKRT GQYKLGSKTG PGQKAILFLP MSAKS.