Proteins for Stem Cell Culture

Supports robust expansion and maintenance of pluripotent stem cell culture for enhanced consistency and reproducibility.

• Animal component-free
• No growth factor supplementation required
• Stable cell integrity over long term culture

R&D Systems Recombinant Human FGF basic/FGF2 (146 aa) and Recombinant Human Wnt-3a Display Higher Activity than the Same Proteins Provided by Leading Competitors.

(A) The bioactivity of R&D Systems Recombinant Human FGF basic/FGF2 (146 aa) (Catalog # 233-FB; orange line) or recombinant human FGF basic/FGF2 (146 aa) from a leading competitor (green line) was assessed by measuring the ability of the proteins to stimulate proliferation of the NR6R-3T3 mouse fibroblast cell line. The bioactivity of R&D Systems Recombinant Human FGF basic/FGF2 (146 aa) was approximately 3-fold greater than the top competitor’s FGF basic (146 aa). (B) The bioactivity of R&D Systems Recombinant Human Wnt-3a (Catalog # 5036-WN; orange line) or recombinant human Wnt-3a from another company (green line) was assessed by measuring the ability of the proteins to induce alkaline phosphatase production in the MC3T3-E1 mouse preosteoblast cell line. The ED₅₀ for this effect for R&D Systems Recombinant Human Wnt-3a was 1.7-fold better, with more than twice the maximum response compared to the competitor's Wnt-3a.

Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells in Media Supplemented with R&D Systems Recombinant Human Activin A.

BG01V human embryonic stem cells were (A) cultured in media without any protein added or (B) differentiated into endoderm using media supplemented with Recombinant Human Activin A (R&D Systems, Catalog # 338-AC). Differentiation into endoderm was confirmed by positive staining for Claudin-6 (red) and Sox17 (green) using the Mouse Anti-Human Claudin-6 Monoclonal Antibody (R&D Systems, Catalog # MAB3656) and the Goat Anti-Human Sox17 Polyclonal Antibody (R&D Systems, Catalog # AF1924), respectively. BG01V human embryonic stem cells are licensed from ViaCyte, Inc. 

R&D Systems Recombinant Human Noggin Displays Minimal Lot-to-Lot Variability and Higher Activity than Leading Competitors’ Noggin Proteins.

BG01V human embryonic stem cells were cultured in Mouse Embryonic Fibroblast Conditioned Media supplemented with FGF basic (5 ng/mL). Stem cells were driven into early cells of the neuroectoderm using a 3-day incubation in Recombinant Human Noggin (25 ug/mL) from either R&D Systems (Lot 1, Lot 2; Catalog # 6057-NG) or from two different competitors (Competitor 1, Competitor 2). Control cells were incubated in media without Noggin (No Noggin). The cells were stained for the early ectoderm marker, Otx2, and the neuroectoderm marker, SOX1. (A) Representative images of SOX1 (green), Otx2 (red), and DAPI (blue) staining in embryonic stem cells differentiated with Noggin from R&D Systems or Noggin from Competitor 2. (B) SOX1+ clusters were quantified under each of the indicated culture conditions. Cells treated with R&D Systems Noggin showed an increase in SOX1+ cells compared to both untreated and competitor-treated cells. R&D Systems Noggin showed consistent differentiation across the lots tested. BG01V human embryonic stem cells were licensed from ViaCyte, Inc. (C) The bioactivity of R&D Systems Recombinant Human Noggin (Catalog # 6057-NG; orange line) or recombinant human noggin from a top competitor (green line) was determined by assessing the ability of the proteins to inhibit alkaline phosphatase production induced by 50 ng/mLRecombinant Human BMP-4 (R&D Systems, Catalog # 314-BP) in the ATDC5 mouse chondrogenic cell line. In the presence of 50 ng/mL Recombinant Human BMP-4, the ED₅₀ for this effect for R&D Systems Recombinant Human Noggin was approximately 30-fold greater than the top competitor’s Noggin protein. 

R&D Systems Recombinant Human Sonic Hedgehog/Shh Purified from HEK293 Cells and Containing the Correct Post-Translational Modifications Displays Higher Activity than E. coli-purified Recombinant Human Shh Proteins.

(A) The bioactivity of R&D Systems High Activity Recombinant Human Shh (Catalog # 8908-SH; green line), purified from HEK293 cells and containing the correct post-translational modifications (cholesterol and fatty acids), was compared to the bioactivity of E. coli-purified Recombinant Human Shh (C24II) N-terminus (R&D Systems, Catalog # 1845-SH; red line), and E.coli-purified Recombinant Human Shh, N-terminus (R&D Systems, Catalog # 1314-SH; blue line) by measuring the ability of the three proteins to induce alkaline phosphatase production by mesenchymal stem cells. The HEK293-purified High Activity Recombinant Human Shh protein was found to be over 14-fold more active than the E.coli-purified Recombinant Human Shh (C24II) N-Terminus protein, and over 250-fold more active than E. coli-purified Recombinant Human Shh-N protein. (B) LC/ESI-MS analysis of High Activity Recombinant Human Shh (R&D Systems, Catalog # 8908-SH) shows major peaks at 20119.3, 20145.2, and 20171.6 Da, suggesting that Recombinant Human Shh molecules are dual-modified with cholesterol at the C-terminus, and fatty acids (lauric acid, myristic acid, and palmitic acid) at the N-terminus. The minor peaks at 19776 Da corresponds to Recombinant Human Shh with only the fatty acid modification.

R&D Systems Recombinant Human Thrombopoietin/Tpo Displays Higher Activity than Leading Competitors’ Thrombopoietin Proteins.

The bioactivity of R&D Systems Recombinant Human Thrombopoietin (Catalog # 288-TPE; orange line) or recombinant human Thrombopoietin/Tpo from two different competitors (green and purple lines) was assessed by measuring the ability of the proteins to stimulate proliferation of the MO7e human megakaryocytic leukemic cell line. The ED₅₀ for this effect for R&D Systems Recombinant Human Thrombopoietin is 0.05-0.5 ng/mL, which is over 2-fold more active than the two competitors’ proteins.

R&D Systems GMP-grade Recombinant Human Flt-3 Ligand and GMP-grade Recombinant Human SCF Display High Lot-to-Lot Consistency.

A) Three independent lots of GMP-grade Recombinant Human Flt-3 Ligand (R&D Systems, Catalog # 308E-GMP) were tested for their ability to stimulate proliferation of the BaF3 mouse pro-B cell line transfected with mouse Flt-3. The ED₅₀ for this effect is 0.2-1 ng/mL. (B) Three independent lots of GMP-grade Recombinant Human SCF (R&D Systems, Catalog # BT-SCF-GMP) were tested for their ability to stimulate proliferation of the TF-1 human erythroleukemic cell line. The ED₅₀ for this effect is 1-8 ng/mL. Each trace shown on the graphs represents data obtained from GMP-grade Recombinant Human Flt-3 Ligand or GMP-grade Recombinant Human SCF from a different manufacturing run to show the lot-to-lot consistency of the proteins.