Ms Recom VEGF-164, 20 µg

STEMCELL Technologies supplies Mouse Recombinant VEGF-164 (Vascular endothelial growth factor), a heparin-binding homodimeric glycoprotein central to vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. The growth factor binds to FLT1 (VEGFR-1) and KDR (VEGFR-2) and triggers the Raf/MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT signalling pathways. VEGF occurs as multiple isoforms generated by alternative splicing of VEGF mRNA in the terminal exon; proximal splice-site selection in exon 8 yields pro-angiogenic VEGFxxx isoforms, while distal splice-site selection produces anti-angiogenic VEGFxxxb isoforms.

Beyond its classical vascular roles, VEGF plays an important part in neurogenesis both in vitro and in vivo, with neurotrophic effects on neurons of the central nervous system and the ability to promote the growth and survival of dopaminergic neurons and astrocytes. It also supports the growth and survival of vascular endothelial cells, drives monocyte chemotaxis, and stimulates colony formation by granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells. The VEGF-164(165) isoform, unlike VEGF-120(121), has been reported to induce inflammation, stimulate ICAM-1 expression on endothelial cells, and trigger monocyte chemotaxis.

The recombinant protein has a predicted molecular mass of 19.4 kDa and is produced in P. pastoris, then lyophilized after dialysis against HEPES and sodium chloride at pH 7.0. Specifications include a specific activity of ≥ 1.7 x 10^5 units/mg (EC50 ≤ 6 ng/mL), determined by a cell proliferation assay using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), a purity of ≥ 97%, and an endotoxin level of ≤ 1 EU/μg protein as measured by kinetic Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) analysis. In a representative bioactivity assay, the EC50 was 2.14 ng/mL. The product is intended for research use only.