GDF-8 (1mg)

Description

GDF-8 (Growth Differentiation Factor-8, Myostatin) is the endogenous ligand of the activin type IIB receptor (ActRIIB) and the primary negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass. First described by Alexandra McPherron and Se-Jin Lee at Johns Hopkins in 1997 through the hypermuscularity phenotype of Mstn-knockout mice, myostatin is now one of the most studied members of the TGF-β superfamily in muscle biology.

Why Researchers Select Recombinant GDF-8

Recombinant GDF-8 protein is the positive control and reference ligand for all ActRIIB pathway research. It activates Smad2/3 phosphorylation downstream of ActRIIB/ALK4 or ALK5 receptor complexes, suppressing myoblast differentiation, reducing satellite cell activation, and promoting muscle atrophy signaling through atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 upregulation. It is used to establish baseline pathway activity before testing inhibitors (anti-myostatin antibodies, ACE-031, follistatin, REGN2477), characterize receptor binding kinetics, and validate assay systems for muscle wasting research.

Common Research Applications

• ActRIIB pathway positive control and reference stimulation
• Smad2/3 phosphorylation and TGF-β signaling characterization
• Myoblast differentiation suppression models
• Muscle atrophy (atrogin-1/MuRF-1) pathway activation studies
• Myostatin inhibitor validation and IC50 determination assays

Molecular Profile

• Type: Recombinant human GDF-8 / myostatin protein
• Target receptor: ActRIIB / ALK4, ALK5 | Purity: ≥95% (SDS-PAGE)

For Research Use Only. Not for human or veterinary use.