Growth Factors and Cytokines

Growth factors are proteins that bind to receptors on the cell surface of cells and result in proliferation or differentiation of the affected cells. Cytokines, often compared with growth factors, affect primarily the cells of the immune system and orchestrate immune responses. Growth factors and cytokines are somewhat similar in their structure and mechanism of action. Both bind to specific cell surface receptors that initiate signaling pathways as well as having receptors that share distinct structural homologies. Many also share several intracellular signaling components through which the activated cell surface receptor transmits its message to the cell nucleus.

The addition of growth factors to cells in culture provides the appropriate environment for cell health and growth. Selecting the right growth factors and cytokines for your application is an important task. Some fastidious cells need serum-free media that often necessitates the use of certain growth factors and cytokines. This is always true for primary cells but often necessary for transformed cell lines and hybridomas as well.

Our growth factors and cytokines are of the highest quality, tested for bioactivity and have low levels of endotoxins that make them ideal for your cell culture research. They are expressed in both E. coli and mammalian (HEK, CHO, NSO) systems giving you the ability to choose what works for your cells. We also provide animal-component free products for your research needs. In addition, we offer a complete set of growth factors, including neurotrophic factors, assayed in stem cell systems.

Figure 1. General Growth Factor and Cytokine Signaling Mechanism