bFGF (K128N), Human

bFGF (K128N) is an engineered recombinant human fibroblast growth factor 2 protein (FGF2) with a K128N point mutation designed to improve thermostability of the protein in cell culture media. bFGF (K128N) protein enables weekend-free and/or reduced feeding schedules for human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) cultures over the unstable wildtype bFGF protein. The improved stability of bFGF (K128N) efficiently maintains a more homogeneous undifferentiated cell culture population, and is a cost-effective supplement allowing for less-frequent media changes. This protein has also been published as FGF2-K128N.

Fibroblast growth factor-basic (bFGF, FGF basic, FGF2) is a key protein many biological processes for a variety of cell types, such as maintenance and self-renewal, proliferation, differentiation, survival, apoptosis, angiogenesis, wound healing, and tissue repair.

bFGF is an essential growth factor for the maintenance of undifferentiated human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) in culture and support of pluripotency induction in reprogramming pathways. bFGF is critical an many other stem cell pathways, including differentiation of neural rosette differentiation from hPSCs, as well as enhanced proliferation of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and differentiation to the chondrogenic lineage.

Applications: Pluripotent stem cell culture, reprogramming, differentiation, mesenchymal stem cell culture

Cell types: Pluripotent stem cells, iPSCs, ESCs, mesenchymal stem cells, MSCs, neural cells

bFGF has a beta-trefoil structure and binds to the four FGF receptors (FGFR) to activate JAK/STAT, PI3K, ERK1/2, and other receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) pathways.

Features & Benefits

• Thermostable protein enhances stability of media
• Efficiently maintains homogenous, undifferentiated hPSC cultures
• Enables weekend-free and alternate feeding schedules
• Cost-effective supplement for less-frequent media changes

References & Publications

1. Chen et al. Thermal stability of fibroblast growth factor protein is a determinant factor in regulating self-renewal, differentiation, and reprogramming in human pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cells. 2012; 30: 623-630 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22213113
2. Kuo et al. Negligible-Cost and Weekend-Free Chemically Defined Human iPSC Culture. Stem Cell Reports. 2020; 14(2):256-270. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31928950