Description
Storage
Human/Mouse/Rat GDF11 Recombinant Protein is supplied as lyophilized material that is very stable at -20°C. It is recommended to reconstitute with sterile water at a concentration of 0.1 mg/mL which can be further diluted in aqueous solutions as needed. Addition of a carrier protein (0.1% HSA or BSA) is recommended for long-term storage. Once in solution, store at 4°C and use within 1 month, or store at -20ºC to -80ºC and use within 3 months to prevent loss of potency. Aliquot to avoid multiple freeze/thaw cycles if storing reconstituted material at -20ºC to -80ºC.
Source / Purification
Recombinant human/mouse/rat GDF11 was expressed in and is supplied in a lyophilized form.
Background
Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), also known as growth differentiation factors (GDFs), were first identified as molecules that can induce ectopic bone and cartilage formation (1,2). BMPs are synthesized as precursor proteins that are processed by cleavage to produce mature proteins. BMPs initiate signaling by binding to a receptor complex containing type I and type II serine/threonine receptor kinases that then phosphorylate Smad (mainly Smad1, 5, and 8), resulting in the translocation of Smad to the nucleus. BMP was also reported to activate MAPK pathways in some systems (3,4). Growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11), also known as BMP-11, belongs to the BMP family of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) superfamily and is very closely related to GDF8 (5). GDF11 plays a critical role in neurogenesis and mesodermal formation in early stages of development and is a key negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass (5-7). With age, GDF11 levels decline. Administration of high levels of GDF11 can result in age-related cardiac hypertrophy to be reversed (8). Additionally, administration of high levels of GDF11 is shown to have effects demonstrating the ability to restore regenerative functions, including muscle aging, reversal of age-related skeletal muscle and stem cell dysfunction, and enhanced neurogenesis (9,10).
