Recombinant Rat IGF-I

Recombinant Rat IGF-I (Insulin-like Growth Factor-I) is a valuable tool for research applications due to its well-characterized biological activity and broad relevance in cellular and physiological studies. Here are key reasons to use Recombinant Rat IGF-I in your research:

1. Species-Specific Activity

Recombinant Rat IGF-I is specifically designed for use in rat models and rat-derived cell cultures. It ensures optimal receptor binding and biological activity in rat systems, which is critical for studies involving rat tissues, primary cells, or in vivo experiments.

2. Promotes Cell Proliferation and Survival

IGF-I is a potent mitogen and survival factor for a wide range of cell types, including neural cells, muscle cells, and osteoblasts. Using recombinant rat IGF-I allows you to study its effects on cell growth, differentiation, and protection against apoptosis in rat models.

3. Supports Studies in Neurobiology

IGF-I plays a crucial role in nervous system development, maintenance, and neuroprotection. Recombinant Rat IGF-I is widely used in studies of neural cell proliferation, differentiation, and protection against injury or degeneration, such as in models of brain damage or neurodegenerative diseases.

4. Bone and Muscle Regeneration Research

IGF-I is a key regulator of bone and muscle regeneration. Recombinant Rat IGF-I can be used to investigate mechanisms of osteoblastogenesis, bone formation, and muscle repair in rat models, making it relevant for studies on aging, osteoporosis, and tissue engineering.

5. Metabolic and Endocrine Studies

IGF-I is involved in metabolic regulation and interacts with the growth hormone (GH) axis. Recombinant Rat IGF-I is useful for studying metabolic effects, insulin sensitivity, and endocrine signaling pathways in rat models.

6. High Purity and Consistency

Recombinant Rat IGF-I is produced using recombinant DNA technology, ensuring high purity, batch-to-batch consistency, and the absence of animal-derived contaminants. This is essential for reproducible and reliable experimental results.

7. Versatile Applications

Recombinant Rat IGF-I can be used in a variety of research applications, including:

• Cell culture studies (proliferation, differentiation, survival)
• In vivo animal studies (bone regeneration, neuroprotection, metabolic research)
• Bioassays and functional studies
• Mechanistic studies of IGF-I signaling pathways

8. Well-Characterized and Validated

Recombinant Rat IGF-I is widely used in published research and is validated for use in rat systems. Its effects and mechanisms are well-documented, providing a solid foundation for your experimental design.

In summary, Recombinant Rat IGF-I is a reliable and versatile reagent for studying growth, regeneration, and metabolic processes in rat models, offering species-specific activity, high purity, and broad applicability in biomedical research.

Yes, recombinant rat IGF-I can be used as a standard for quantification or calibration in ELISA assays designed to measure rat IGF-I, provided the assay is validated for both recombinant and native forms.

Most rat IGF-I ELISA kits use recombinant rat IGF-I as the standard protein to generate the calibration curve. These standards are typically lyophilized recombinant IGF-I, reconstituted and serially diluted to create a range of known concentrations for quantification. The assay’s antibodies are generally raised against recombinant IGF-I, and validation data show that the standard curves generated with recombinant IGF-I are parallel to those obtained with native IGF-I from biological samples, indicating comparable immunoreactivity and quantification accuracy.

Key considerations for using recombinant rat IGF-I as a standard:

• The recombinant protein should be of high purity and properly folded, matching the native protein’s immunoreactivity.
• The ELISA kit must be validated to ensure that the recombinant standard yields parallel standard curves with native IGF-I in rat samples.
• Follow the kit’s recommended dilution and reconstitution protocols for the standard to ensure accurate calibration.
• The standard curve should cover the expected concentration range of IGF-I in your samples.

Limitations:

• Use the recombinant standard only for research purposes, not for diagnostic procedures, unless specifically validated for clinical use.
• Always check the kit’s documentation for compatibility and specificity regarding recombinant versus native IGF-I.

In summary, recombinant rat IGF-I is widely accepted and scientifically appropriate as a standard for ELISA quantification of rat IGF-I, as long as the assay is validated for this use and proper protocols are followed.

Recombinant Rat IGF-I has been validated for a variety of applications in published research, primarily focusing on its role in cell proliferation, differentiation, and tissue regeneration. Key applications include:

• Cell Proliferation Assays: Recombinant Rat IGF-I is frequently used to stimulate cell proliferation, particularly in neural stem cells, myoblasts, and other cell types relevant to regenerative medicine. Its biological activity is often validated using cell proliferation assays, such as those with serum-free human cells or murine myoblast cell lines (e.g., C2C12).

• Neural Stem Cell Proliferation and Differentiation: Studies have shown that IGF-I influences neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation, making it a valuable tool in neuroscience research.

• Muscle Regeneration: In animal models, IGF-I has been applied to promote muscle regeneration following injury, demonstrating its efficacy in regenerative medicine.

• Cardiac Function Enhancement: Chronic treatment with IGF-I in rats has been shown to enhance cardiac function in vivo, indicating its potential use in cardiovascular research.

• Bone Formation and Osteoblastogenesis: While most studies cited focus on human or mouse IGF-I, the mechanisms are often extrapolated to rat models, where IGF-I plays a significant role in bone formation and osteoblastogenesis.

• Signal Pathway Activation: IGF-I is used to activate key signaling pathways such as PI3K/Akt and MAP kinase, which are crucial for cell survival, growth, and differentiation.

These applications highlight the versatility of Recombinant Rat IGF-I in various research areas, including neuroscience, regenerative medicine, cardiovascular research, and cell biology.

To reconstitute and prepare Recombinant Rat IGF-I protein for cell culture experiments, dissolve the lyophilized protein in sterile water at a concentration of 0.1 mg/mL. Centrifuge the vial briefly before opening to ensure all powder is at the bottom. Gently pipette the water down the sides of the vial to suspend the protein—do not vortex—and allow several minutes for complete dissolution.

Key steps and best practices:

• Centrifuge the vial (e.g., 10,000 × g for 5 minutes) before opening to collect all powder at the bottom.
• Add sterile water to achieve the recommended concentration (typically 0.1 mg/mL for IGF-I).
• Gently pipette the solution along the vial wall to dissolve the protein. Avoid vigorous mixing or vortexing, which can denature the protein.
• Allow several minutes for complete reconstitution at room temperature.
• Aliquot the solution into working volumes in sterile tubes containing 0.1% BSA (bovine serum albumin) if you plan to store the protein for extended periods. This prevents protein loss due to adsorption and repeated freeze-thaw cycles.
• Store reconstituted protein at 4°C for up to 1 month, at -20°C to -80°C for up to 3 months, or at -80°C for longer-term storage. Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles.
• Endotoxin level should be ≤1 EU/μg, suitable for cell culture applications.

Preparation for cell culture:

• Before adding to cell culture, dilute the reconstituted IGF-I in your desired cell culture medium or buffer, ideally containing 0.1% BSA to stabilize the protein and minimize adsorption to plasticware.
• Filter sterilize if necessary, using a 0.2 μm filter, especially if further dilutions are made.

Summary Table: Recombinant Rat IGF-I Reconstitution

These steps ensure maximum protein stability and bioactivity for cell culture experiments. Always consult the specific product datasheet for any additional instructions or buffer requirements.