Ephrin-B3, also known as EFNB3, is a member of the ephrin gene family. Ephrin-B3 is important in brain development as well as in its maintenance. Moreover, since levels of EFNB3 expression are particularly high in several forebrain subregions compared to other brain subregions, it may play a pivotal role in forebrain function. The EPH and EPH-related receptors comprise the largest subfamily of receptor protein-tyrosine kinases and have been implicated in mediating developmental events, particularly in the nervous system.
The predicted molecular weight of Recombinant Human Ephrin-B3 is Mr 48.3 kDa. However, the actual molecular weight as observed by migration on SDS-PAGE is Mr 57-61 kDa.
Predicted Molecular Mass
48.3
Formulation
This recombinant protein was 0.2 µm filtered and lyophilized from modified Dulbecco’s phosphate buffered saline (1X PBS) pH 7.2 – 7.3 with no calcium, magnesium, or preservatives.
Storage and Stability
This lyophilized protein is stable for six to twelve months when stored desiccated at -20°C to -70°C. After aseptic reconstitution, this protein may be stored at 2°C to 8°C for one month or at -20°C to -70°C in a manual defrost freezer. Avoid Repeated Freeze Thaw Cycles. See Product Insert for exact lot specific storage instructions.
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Using Recombinant Human Ephrin-B3 in research applications is valuable for studying cell signaling, neural development, synaptic regulation, immune cell migration, and cancer biology due to its well-characterized roles as a ligand for Eph receptors and its involvement in multiple physiological and pathological processes.
Key scientific applications and rationale include:
Neuroscience and Synaptic Biology: Ephrin-B3 regulates excitatory synapse density and synaptic maturation, making it essential for dissecting mechanisms of synaptic plasticity, neural circuit formation, and neurodevelopmental disorders. It mediates cell-cell competition that determines synapse density, which is critical for understanding neural connectivity.
Cancer Research: Ephrin-B3 is highly expressed in certain tumors, such as glioblastoma, where it acts as a survival factor by inhibiting apoptosis (cell death) and promoting angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels). Recombinant Ephrin-B3 can be used to model these effects in vitro and in vivo, and to screen for potential therapeutic inhibitors targeting Eph/ephrin signaling.
Immunology: Ephrin-B3 can induce the migration of memory B cells and modulate immune responses, making it useful for studying immune cell trafficking and the role of Eph/ephrin signaling in inflammation and immune regulation.
Viral Pathogenesis: Ephrin-B3 functions as a cellular receptor for Nipah virus, so recombinant protein can be used in viral entry assays, receptor binding studies, and antiviral drug screening.
Cell Signaling Studies: As a ligand for EphB receptors, recombinant Ephrin-B3 is used to activate or inhibit Eph receptor signaling in various cell types, enabling detailed analysis of downstream signaling pathways, receptor-ligand specificity, and bidirectional signaling mechanisms.
Assay Development and Screening: Recombinant Ephrin-B3 is suitable for use in bioactivity assays, ELISA, Western blotting, and cell-based functional assays to study protein-protein interactions, receptor activation, and cellular responses.
Standardization and Reproducibility: Using recombinant protein ensures batch-to-batch consistency, defined activity, and the absence of confounding factors present in tissue-derived preparations, which is critical for reproducible experimental results.
In summary, Recombinant Human Ephrin-B3 is a versatile tool for dissecting Eph/ephrin biology in neural, immune, and cancer systems, and for developing new therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways.
You can use recombinant human Ephrin-B3 as a standard for quantification or calibration in your ELISA assays, provided the protein is sufficiently purified and its concentration is accurately determined. This approach is common in quantitative ELISA workflows, where a standard curve is generated using known concentrations of the target protein.
Key considerations for using recombinant Ephrin-B3 as an ELISA standard:
Purity and Characterization: The recombinant protein should be highly purified, ideally with minimal contaminants, and its concentration should be verified using an independent method such as HPLC or spectrophotometry.
Formulation: Carrier proteins like BSA are sometimes added to recombinant proteins to enhance stability. For ELISA standards, both carrier-free and carrier-containing formulations can be used, but carrier-free is preferred if BSA may interfere with your assay.
Calibration: Recombinant proteins are not inherently calibrated for ELISA use. You must calibrate them against a mass-calibrated standard or assign their value based on measurement in your specific ELISA system. Lot-to-lot variability and dilution errors can affect quantification, so always prepare standards carefully and validate your standard curve.
Standard Curve Preparation: Prepare a dilution series covering the expected concentration range in your samples (commonly 0–1000 pg/mL, but adjust as needed). Follow best practices for reconstitution and dilution to minimize errors.
Validation: Confirm that the recombinant Ephrin-B3 is recognized by your ELISA antibodies and produces a reliable, linear standard curve. This ensures accurate quantification of unknowns.
In summary, recombinant human Ephrin-B3 is suitable as an ELISA standard if you ensure proper purification, concentration determination, and calibration within your assay system. Always validate its performance in your specific ELISA setup.
Recombinant Human Ephrin-B3 has been validated for several applications in published research, primarily in studies of bioactivity, cell signaling, and functional assays related to neural and cancer biology.
Key validated applications include:
Bioactivity assays: Recombinant Ephrin-B3 is routinely validated for its ability to engage Eph receptors and modulate downstream signaling pathways in cell-based assays.
Neurite outgrowth inhibition: Used to demonstrate its role as a myelin-based inhibitor of neurite outgrowth in primary CNS neuron cultures, relevant to studies of axon guidance and spinal cord injury.
Cell survival and apoptosis assays: Applied in glioblastoma research to show its function as a survival factor for tumor and endothelial cells, both in vitro (cell culture) and in vivo (zebrafish, CAM assay).
Synapse density modulation: Utilized in neuronal co-culture systems to study its effect on excitatory synapse density via EphB signaling, with quantification by immunostaining for synaptic markers.
Viral receptor studies: Used as a functional receptor in assays detecting henipavirus (Nipah and Hendra) entry, due to its high affinity for viral glycoproteins.
Cell migration and axon guidance: Employed in studies of cortical interneuron migration and axon repulsion, often in co-culture or explant assays.
Protein-protein interaction studies: Used in ELISA, Western blotting, and SDS-PAGE to confirm binding and molecular weight.
Additional details:
In vitro and in vivo angiogenesis assays: Ephrin-B3 has been used in chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assays and zebrafish models to study its role in promoting angiogenesis.
Receptor-ligand binding studies: Applied in biochemical assays to characterize interactions with EphB and EphA receptors, including competitive binding and signaling activation.
Standardization and controls: Used as a standard or positive control in ELISA and other immunoassays.
These applications are supported by both commercial validation and peer-reviewed research, particularly in the fields of neuroscience, oncology, and virology.
To reconstitute and prepare Recombinant Human Ephrin-B3 protein for cell culture experiments, dissolve the lyophilized protein in sterile phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or sterile distilled water to achieve a final concentration typically between 0.1–1.0 mg/mL. For most bioactivity assays and cell culture applications, a concentration of ≥100 µg/mL is recommended.
Step-by-step protocol:
Add the appropriate volume of sterile PBS or sterile distilled water directly to the vial containing the lyophilized protein. For example, to prepare a 1 mg/mL solution from 100 µg of protein, add 100 µL of buffer.
Gently mix by swirling or inverting the vial. Do not vortex or pipette vigorously, as this can denature or aggregate the protein.
Allow the protein to fully dissolve at room temperature for several minutes. If necessary, gently flick the tube to aid dissolution.
Once reconstituted, aliquot the solution to avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles, which can degrade the protein.
Store aliquots at –20°C for long-term storage or at 2–8°C for short-term use (up to one week).
Additional notes for cell culture experiments:
If the protein is to be used for receptor activation, note that Fc-clustered or membrane-bound forms are typically required for full receptor activation; soluble monomeric forms may bind but not activate Eph receptors.
For enhanced stability, some protocols recommend adding glycerol (5–50% final concentration) to the reconstituted solution, especially for storage or repeated use.
Filter-sterilize the final solution if sterility is critical for your cell culture system.
Summary Table:
Step
Buffer
Concentration
Mixing Method
Storage
Reconstitution
PBS or distilled H₂O
0.1–1.0 mg/mL
Gentle swirling
–20°C (long-term), 2–8°C (short-term)
Optional additive
Glycerol
5–50%
Gentle mixing
Precautions:
Avoid vigorous mixing.
Aliquot to prevent freeze-thaw cycles.
Use sterile technique throughout.
These steps will ensure optimal solubility and bioactivity of Recombinant Human Ephrin-B3 protein for cell culture experiments.
References & Citations
1. Holen, HL. et al. (2011) Scand. J. Immunol. 74:144.
2. Xu, NJ. et al. (2011) Nat. Neurosci. 14:1421.