Hu Recom BDNF, ACF, 10 µg

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a member of the NGF family of neurotrophins that also includes nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and neurotrophin-4 (NT-4). These neurotrophins are required for the differentiation and survival of specific neuronal subpopulations in both the central and peripheral nervous systems. BDNF binds with high affinity to the tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) and activates AKT and ERK signalling pathways, and is expressed in the hippocampus, cortex, and synapses of the basal forebrain.

BDNF acts as a survival factor for human embryonic stem cells plated on either feeder cells or Corning® Matrigel®. It regulates synaptic transmission and plasticity at adult synapses in the central nervous system and contributes to adaptive neuronal responses, including long-term potentiation, long-term depression, certain forms of short-term synaptic plasticity, and homeostatic regulation of neuronal excitability. The protein also has a role in neurogenesis by promoting survival and growth of dorsal root ganglion cells and of hippocampal and cortical neurons. Together with glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and other supplements, BDNF is commonly used to differentiate human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived neural progenitor cells into neurons.

Provided by STEMCELL Technologies as an animal component-free reagent, the product is a recombinant human protein expressed in E. coli and supplied as a homodimer of 13.6 kDa subunits with a predicted molecular mass of 27.3 kDa, lyophilized from a sterile-filtered aqueous solution containing 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid. Purity is ≥ 95% and endotoxin level is ≤ 1 EU/μg protein as measured by kinetic Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) analysis, with cross-reactivity reported for mouse and rat. Activity specifications differ by lot: for Lot #1000038506 or higher, specific activity is ≥ 2.5 × 10^4 units/mg (EC50 ≤ 40 ng/mL) in a cell proliferation assay using a neuroblastoma line stably expressing TrkB (BR6); for all other lots, specific activity is ≥ 5.0 × 10^2 units/mg (EC50 ≤ 2 μg/mL) in an assay using C6 cells. The product should be stored at -20 °C to -80 °C and is stable as supplied for 12 months from the date of receipt; the vial should be centrifuged before opening and the contents reconstituted to at least 0.1 mg/mL by pipetting the solution down the sides of the vial, without vortexing.