Recombinant FGF2-G3 (154 aa) protein (Qk053) Price range: £175.00 through £2,640.00View product
Recombinant FGF2-G3 (154 aa) protein (Qk053)
Price range: £175.00 through £2,640.00
Recombinant FGF2-G3 (FGF2-STAB®) protein is a thermostable engineered form of FGF-2 (bFGF). Qk053 is the 154 aa mature domain of FGF-2 (Qk027) with nine amino acid substitutions to enhance stability without impacting bioactivity developed by Dvorak et al. 2018. This increases the functional half-life of the protein from <10 h (wild-type) to >7 days (FGF2-G3).
Recombinant FGF2-G3 is used in B8 media (Kuo et al. 2019) for weekend free, high homogeneity induced pluripotent stem cell culture. FGF2-G3 also has applications in chemically defined stem cell and organoid culture media, and cultured meat media development.
High purity 17 kDa bioactive FGF2-G3 protein, animal origin-free (AOF), carrier protein-free and tag free.
This protein is also available as GMP compliant Cell Therapy Grade, to enquire email ryan.weber@matriqx.com.
In stock
Orders are typically shipped same or next day (except Friday).
Easy world-wide ordering, direct or through our distributors.
Price range: £175.00 through £2,640.00
1000 µg will be dispatched as 2 x 500 µg.
Buy online with secure credit card or purchase order. For any questions, please email ryan.weber@matriqx.com
Summary:
- High purity thermostable recombinant FGF2-G3 protein comprising 154 aa form of FGF-2 (Uniprot: P09038) with nine stabilizing amino acid substitutions
- 17 kDa
>98%, by SDS-PAGE quantitative densitometry
Animal origin-free (AOF) and carrier protein-free
Expressed in E. coli
Manufactured in our Cambridge, UK laboratories
Lyophilized from Tris, NaCl, CyS, mannitol
- Resuspend in sterile-filtered water at >50 µg/ml, add carrier protein if desired, prepare single use aliquots and store frozen at -20 °C (short-term) or -80 °C (long-term).
Featured applications:
Expansion of induced pluripotent, embryonic and mesenchymal stem cells
Related discovery kits
- Thermostable FGF-2 discovery kit (Qk502)
- iPSC culture kit (Qk512)
- Endoderm differentiation kit (Qk513)
- Mesoderm differentiation kit (Qk514)
- Ectoderm differentiation kit (Qk515)
- Tri-lineage differentiation kit (Qk516)
- B8 media discovery kit (Qk503)
- Serum-free media optimization growth factor discovery kit (Qk505)
Alternative proteins
- Recombinant human FGF-2 (154 aa) protein (Qk027)
- Recombinant FGF2-G3 (145 aa) protein (Qk052)
- Ectoderm differentiation kit (Qk515)
- Tri-lineage differentiation kit (Qk516)
- Thermostable FGF-2 discovery kit (Qk502)
- Recombinant zebrafish FGF-2 protein (Qk002)
- Microglial differentiation kit (Qk519)
- B8 media discovery kit (Qk503)
- Serum-free media optimization growth factor discovery kit (Qk505)
- iPSC culture kit (Qk512)
- Endoderm differentiation kit (Qk513)
- Mesoderm differentiation kit (Qk514)
Recombinant FGF2-G3 activity was determined using the Promega serum response element luciferase reporter assay in transfected HEK293T cells. EC50 = 90 pg/ml (5.2 pM). Cells were treated in triplicate with a serial dilution of FGF2-G3 for 3 hours. Firefly luciferase activity was measured and normalized to the control Renilla luciferase activity. Data from Qk053 lot #104340.
Recombinant FGF2-G3 migrates as a major band at 17 kDa in non-reducing (NR) conditions. The higher molecular weight minor band is the dimeric form. Upon reduction (R), only the 17 kDa band is visible. No contaminating protein bands are present. Purified recombinant protein (3 µg) was resolved using 15% w/v SDS-PAGE in reduced (+β-mercaptothanol, R) and non-reduced (NR) conditions and stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue R250. Data from Qk053 batch #104340.
Further quality assays
Mass spectrometry: single species with expected mass
Recovery from stock vial: >95%
Endotoxin: <0.05 EU/μg protein
We are a company founded and run by scientists to provide a service and support innovation in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. All our products are exceptionally high purity, with complete characterisation and bioactivity analysis on every lot.
WT FGF-2 (Qk027) and FGF2-G3 (Qk053) were diluted in conditioned media and incubated at 37°C for 2 or 7 days before FGF-2 activity was assayed in triplicate using the Promega serum response element luciferase reporter assay in transfected HEK293T cells. Firefly luciferase activity was normalized to the control Renilla luciferase activity.
Protein background
FGF-2 (also known as basic FGF or bFGF) is an essential growth factor for maintaining human embryonic stem cell (hESC) and induced pluripotency stem cell (iPSC) pluripotency in feeder-free and chemically defined stem cell media. It is a core component of widely adopted media including mTESR [1, 2], StemPRO [3] and E8 [4]. However, FGF-2 is inherently unstable and prone to proteolytic degradation and aggregation. This fundamental biochemical instability, and therefore low half-life in culture media (<10 h), is an important contribution to the need for frequent media changes and challenges in improving homogeneity during stem cell proliferation and subsequent differentiation.
To improve the stability of FGF-2 for stem cell media and regenerative medicine applications, Dvorak and colleagues at Masaryk University used computer-assisted protein engineering to identify an optimal set of nine amino acid substitutions that stabilize FGF-2. These substitutions were designed to avoid structural changes to the FGF receptor 1 (FGFR1) and FGF receptor 2 (FGFR2) binding sites. This thermostable FGF-2 is known as FGF2-G3, or FGF2-STAB® [5]. The biological activity of wild-type FGF-2 is <50% after 10h incubation with conditioned media. In contrast, no reduction in FGF2-G3 biological activity is observed after >7 days incubation with conditioned media at 37oC. Both FGF2-G3 and wild-type FGF-2 maintain hESC pluripotency and expression of pluripotency markers Oct-4 and nanog with equivalent efficacy [5].
In 2020, Paul Burridge and colleagues at Northwestern University, Chicago, published a protocol for B8 media. This iPSC maintenance media uses thermostable FGF2-G3, along with optimization of media component concentration and composition to reduce media cost and facilitate weekend-free stem cell culture regimes [6, 7].
To manufacture and provide FGF2-G3 for stem cell culture, including use in B8 media and emerging applications such as cultured meat, Qkine has licensed the patented FGF2-G3 technology from Enantis/Masaryk University. We have combined the excellent science behind the FGF2-G3 technology with our protein manufacture expertise to provide gold standard protein for use in cell culture media. We have removed His tags present in academic forms of the protein, as these may give rise to issues for scientists translating discoveries to the clinical or scale-up. His tags also introduce unnecessary scientific uncertainty.
Additional resources
- Technote | FGF2-G3 (Qk053) stability vs wild type
- Differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into neuroectoderm (PDF)
- Differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into mesoderm (PDF)
- Differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into endoderm (PDF)
- Weekend-free human induced pluripotent stem cell culture using thermostable FGF-2 (bFGF) and animal origin-free TGF-β1 and vitronectin for improved colony homogeneity (PDF)
- CytoBoost™-enhanced growth factor activity for cell culture and bioprocessing (PDF)
- Commercial versus in-house media: A comparative study of human induced pluripotent stem cell maintenance (PDF)
- Brochure: FGF2-G3 Thermostable FGF-2 for enhanced stem cell culture
- Brochure: Growth factors for neural and glial cell differentiation
- Brochure: Growth factors for enhanced organoid culture protocols
Publications using Recombinant FGF2-G3 (154 aa) protein (Qk053)
-
A clinically defined and xeno-free hydrogel system for regenerative medicine
Ong J, Gibbons G, Lim YS et al.
DOI: DOI 10.1088/2752-5724/ae4e4d -
Cytogenetic resource enables mechanistic resolution of changing trends in human pluripotent stem cell aberrations linked to feeder-free culture
Stavish D, Price CJ, Gelezauskaite G et al.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.09.21.558777 -
Development of an orthotopic medulloblastoma zebrafish model for rapid drug testing
van Bree N, Oppelt AS, Lindström S et al.
DOI: doi: 10.1093/neuonc/noae210 -
EphA2 and phosphoantigen-mediated selective killing of medulloblastoma by γδT cells preserves neuronal and stem cell integrity
Boutin L, Liu M, Merville JD et al.
DOI: doi: 10.1080/2162402X.2025.2485535 -
Feeder-free culture of human pluripotent stem cells drives MDM4-mediated gain of chromosome 1q
Stavish D, Price CJ, Gelezauskaite G, Alsehli H et al.
DOI: doi: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2024.06.003 -
Modeling the selective growth advantage of genetically variant human pluripotent stem cells to identify opportunities for manufacturing process control
Beltran-Rendon C, Price CJ, Glen K et al.
DOI: doi: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2024.01.010 -
mTOR activity paces human blastocyst stage developmental progression
Iyer DP, Khoei HH, van der Weijden VA et al.
DOI: doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.08.048 -
Refined and benchmarked homemade media for cost-effective, weekend-free human pluripotent stem cell culture
Truszkowski L, Bottini S, Bianchi S et al.
DOI: doi.org/10.12688/openreseurope.18245.2 -
Vortioxetine: A Potential Drug for Repurposing for Glioblastoma Treatment via a Microsphere Local Delivery System
Wang Y, Siebzehnrubl D, Weller M et al.
DOI: doi: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.5c00068 -
Parkinson’s associated protein DJ-1 regulates intercellular communication via extracellular vesicles in oxidative stress
Page T, Musi CA, Bakker SE et al.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5669239/v1 -
One-Step Differentiation of Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells into Podocytes
Naderlinger E, Murphy C, Feifel E, Jennings P, Gstraunthaler G and Wilmes, A
DOI: doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-4530-7_4 -
Opposing CTCF and GATA4 activities set the pace of chromatin topology remodeling during cardiomyogenesis
Becca S, Bianchi S, Hahn EM et al.
DOI: doi.org/10.1101/2025.10.07.680441 -
Age-Driven Lipid Remodeling Activates Lysosome-Mediated Plasma Membrane Repair
Skowronska-Krawczyk et al.
DOI: doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8607320/v1 -
Deep immune-phenotyping of HLA-homozygous iPS-cardiomyocytes by spectral flow cytometry
Maeding N, Kundully DS, Steinhuber A et al.
DOI: DOI 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1736994 -
Commercially available synthetic hydrogels cannot replace Matrigel in promoting polarization and lumenogenesis of 3D ESC aggregates
Brochard V, Galle A and Jouneau A
DOI: 10.60675/yrr0-6e39/sn20260212-12r/short-notes
FAQ
What is FGF-2?
Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2), also known as basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is a growth factor and signaling protein.
Where is FGF-2 found?
FGF-2 is expressed in a developmental and tissue specific manner. It’s expression is tightly controlled in normal tissues and it can be detected in all major tissues.
What does FGF-2 do?
FGF-2 is essential for normal embryonic development. It has roles in cell survival and proliferation, angiogenesis, tumorigenesis, wound healing and tissue repair.
What does FGF-2 bind to?
FGF-2 binds to and signals though all four of the FGF receptors FGFR1-4.
What is the function of the FGF receptor?
FGFRs phosphorylate specific tyrosine residues and activate the RAS-MAPK, PI3K-AKT, PLCγ, and STAT intracellular signaling pathways.
How is FGF-2 used in stem cell culture?
FGF-2 is used to maintain the pluripotency of stem cells in culture.
What is the difference between FGF-2 145 aa and 154 aa?
Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 (FGF-2) exists in two main isoforms, distinguished by length: 145 amino acids (aa) and 154 aa. The 154 aa variant contains an additional nine amino acids at the N-terminus. While this extension is not essential for biological activity, it may influence the protein’s localization within cells.
Key differences between the isoforms:
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FGF-2 (145 aa):
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The most widely used form, supporting proliferation and survival of stem and progenitor cells.
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Commonly preferred for organoid culture due to its robust activity and well-established performance.
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FGF-2 (154 aa):
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Contains an N-terminal extension that may affect intracellular localization or signaling.
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Typically, not required for standard organoid or stem cell maintenance, unless specific signaling or localization effects are being investigated.
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What is FGF2-G3 (FGF2-STAB®)?
Recombinant FGF2-G3 (FGF2-STAB®) is a thermostable, engineered form of FGF-2 (bFGF). This modification significantly increases the protein’s functional half-life — from <10 hours for wild-type FGF-2 to >7 days for FGF2-G3 — improving stability and consistency in culture systems.
Our products are for research use only and not for diagnostic or therapeutic use. Products are not for resale.
For use in manufacturing of cellular or gene therapy products. Not intended for in vivo applications.
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