Epidermal Growth Factor, human

This product is used as a mitogen, triggering the cell to commence mitosis, in a variety of cell lines. In tissue cultures, EGF acts to reduce or eliminate the requirement for serum and can be used in conjunction with other media additives and hormones.

Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) is a small mitogenic polypeptide present throughout a large number of tissues and body fluids in many mammalian species. EGF is a member of a growth factor family characterized by 6 conserved cysteine motifs that form three disulfide bonds. EGF is mitogenic for a variety of epidermal and epithelial cells, including fibroblasts, glial cells, vascular and corneal endothelial cells, bovine granulosa, HeLa cells, SV40-3T3 cells and mammary epithelial cells.
Cellular functions affected by EGF: mitosis, ion flux, glucose transport, glycolysis, nucleic acid and protein synthesis, survival, growth, proliferation and differentiation.
Biological affects of EGF: inhibition of gastric acid secretion, fetal growth and development and neuromodulation in the central nervous system.
Pathways affected by EGF: EGFR signaling, MAPK cascade, PIP, Ca+2 signaling

Human EGF (hEGF) is an identical molecule to β-urogastrone, a molecule isolated on the basis of its ability to inhibit gastric acid secretion. EGF is structurally homologous to human transforming growth factor-α, and both exert their actions through EGF receptors. E9644 is the N-terminal methionyl form of natural mature EGF.

This product should be stored at -20°C and will retain activity for two years. After reconstitution, it can be stored at 2-8°C for one month, or frozen in aliquots at -70°C or -20°C for longer periods.

This product was lyophilized from a 0.2 μm-filtered solution of phosphate buffered saline, at pH 7.4. It should be reconstituted by adding the contents of the vial to 1 mg/mL using 10 mM acetic acid. To dilute to lower concentrations, but no fewer than 10 μg/mL, an addition of 0.1% BSA or HSA will be needed. For use in proliferation assays, further dilute the sample with medium without albumin.

The biological activity of this product is measured in a proliferation assay using BALB/MK cells. The EC₅₀ is defined as the effective concentration of growth factor that elicits a 50% increase in cell growth in a cell based bioassay.