(-)-Blebbistatin, 25 mg

A selective, cell-permeable small molecule supplied by STEMCELL Technologies, (-)-Blebbistatin acts as a non-muscle myosin II (NM II) ATPase inhibitor. It rapidly and reversibly inhibits Mg-ATPase activity and the in vitro motility of non-muscle myosin IIA and IIB across several species (IC₅₀ = 0.5 - 5.0 µM), while only poorly inhibiting smooth muscle myosin (IC₅₀ = 80 µM). The compound is named for its ability to block membrane blebbing and is inactivated by UV light, which is relevant for fluorescent cell imaging workflows.

Published work reports that (-)-Blebbistatin increases human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) survival and cloning efficiency after dissociation to single cells, downstream of ROCK inhibition, and supports hPSC culture on microcarriers without surface coating. It has also been reported to inhibit differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells.

The product is supplied as a crystalline solid with a stated purity of ≥ 98%. Chemical formula C₁₈H₁₆N₂O₂, molecular weight 292.3 g/mol, CAS number 856925-71-8, and chemical name (3aS)-3a-hydroxy-6-methyl-1-phenyl-2,3-dihydropyrrolo[2,3-b]quinolin-4-one. It is soluble in DMSO at ≤ 40 mM and shows low solubility in water. Stocks should be prepared fresh and stored at −20°C, protected from prolonged exposure to light. For cell culture use, DMSO stocks should be added to medium immediately before use, with final DMSO kept below 0.1%.