Technote | BMP-4 (Qk038)

Reconstituted animal origin-free BMP-4 has excellent stability under standard storage conditions

Human bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP-4) is a key regulator of embryogenesis and supports the differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and embryonic stem cells (ECS). BMP-4 plays a role in bone and cartilage formation, tissue repair, and organ and neuronal development. BMP-4 is part of the TGF-β superfamily and has a complex biochemical structure, expertise is required to manufacture bioactive BMP-4.

Qkine BMP-4 (Qk038) has high bioactivity, allowing lower concentrations to be used in media for cost-effective cell culture.

Qkine BMP-4 one month stability

  • BMP-4 diluted to 50 µg/ml and stored in PBS + 0.1% BSA at -20 °C for one month had an EC50 of 0.49 ng/ml, equivalent to freshly reconstituted protein stored lyophilized at -80 °C, which had an EC50 of 0.54 ng/ml. 
  • When the 50 µg/ml BMP-4 in PBS + 0.1% BSA was stored at 4 °C for one month it had an EC50 of 0.44 ng/ml, equivalent to the freshly reconstituted protein, which had an EC50 of 0.68 ng/ml.
  • When diluted further to 1 µg/ml in cell culture medium and stored at 4 °C for one month BMP-4 retained an EC50 of 0.43 ng/ml, equivalent to freshly reconstituted protein, which had an EC50 of 0.61 ng/ml.
BMP 4 control vs composite 1

BMP-4 remained bioactive under all storage conditions. Bioactivity was determined using a BRE reporter luciferase assay; transfected HEK293T cells were treated in triplicate with a serial dilution of BMP-4 (Qk038) which had been reconstituted and stored under the conditions indicated. Firefly luciferase activity was measured and normalized to control Renilla luciferase activity. (A) Bioactivity of control BMP-4 (freshly reconstituted and diluted from protein stored lyophilized at -80 °C) compared with protein stored in PBS + 0.1% BSA at -20 °C for one month. (B) Bioactivity of a control protein compared with protein stored in PBS + 0.1% BSA at 4 °C for one month. (C) Bioactivity of control protein compared with protein stored in cell culture medium at 4 °C for one month.

Qkine recombinant proteins have the advantage of being highly pure and animal origin-free, giving lot-to-lot consistency in bioactivity for long-term reproducible culture of stem cells and organoids.

All our recombinant proteins are animal-free and come with Bioactivity. Guaranteed.

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