Forskolin, 1 mg

STEMCELL Technologies supplies this cell permeable diterpene, Forskolin, which directly activates adenylyl cyclase (IC₅₀ = 41 nM) and thereby raises intracellular levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). cAMP acts as a second messenger in numerous signal transduction pathways, including activation of protein kinase A (PKA).

The compound has a chemical formula of C₂₂H₃₄O₇ and a molecular weight of 410.5 g/mol. It is supplied as a crystalline solid with a stated purity of ≥ 98%. Solubility is reported at ≤ 70 mM in DMSO and ≤ 35 mM in absolute ethanol, with low solubility in aqueous media. The product is stable at -20 °C as supplied and should be protected from prolonged exposure to light.

Forskolin functions as a cAMP pathway activator, an epigenetic modifier that inhibits histone EZH2 lysine methyltransferase, a PKC inhibitor, and an inducer of neural differentiation. Published research applications include chemical reprogramming of mouse embryonic fibroblasts to induced pluripotent stem cells, NGN2-mediated transdifferentiation of human fibroblasts to cholinergic neurons, direct lineage reprogramming of fibroblasts to mature neurons, conversion of human ES cells toward a naïve ground state, and potentiation of neuronal differentiation of rat hippocampal neural progenitor cells. The product is classified as hazardous; users should consult the Safety Data Sheet.