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SDF-1 (stromal cell-derived factor-1) is small cytokine belonging to the chemokine family that is officially designated Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12 (CXCL12). It is produced in two forms, SDF-1?/CXCL12a and SDF-1?/CXCL12b, by alternate splicing of the same gene. Chemokines are characterized by the presence of four conserved cysteines, which form two disulfide bonds. The CXCL12 proteins belong to the group of CXC chemokines, whose initial pair of cysteines are separated by one intervening amino acid. CXCL12 is strongly chemotactic for lymphocytes and has been implicated as an important cell co-ordinator during development. During embryogenesis it directs the migration of hematopoietic cells from foetal liver to bone marrow. Mice which were knocked-out for CXCL12 gene were lethal before the birth or within just 1 hour of life. As another role, CXCL12a alters also the electrophysiology of neurons. CXCL12 was shown to be expressend in many tissues in mice (including brain, thymus, heart, lung, liver, kidney, spleen and bone marrow).
The receptor for this chemokine is CXCR4, which was previously called fusin. This CXCL12-CXCR4 interaction used to be considered exclusive (unlike for other chemokines and their receptors), but recently it was suggested that CXCL12 is also bound by CXCR7 receptor. The gene for CXCL12 is located on human chromosome 10. In human and mouse both CXCL12 and CXCR4 show high identity of sequence: 99% and 90%, respectively.

Signal-regulatory protein beta-1 isoform 1 or SIRPB1, is an immunoglobulin-like cell surface receptor which is a part of the SIRP superfamily. SIRPB1 is a cell membrane receptor that takes part in the negative regulation of tyrosine kinase-coupled signaling pathway. SIRPB1 is engaged in the activation of tyrosine kinase SYK, SIRP alpha molecules (activates SHP-1 and SHP-2 protein tyrosine phosphatases), etc.

SLAMF1 is a member of the immunoglobulin gene superfamily and is involved in T-cell stimulation. The SLAMF1 protein is constitutively expressed on peripheral blood memory T cells, T-cell clones, immature thymocytes, and a fraction of B cells, and is swiftly induced on naive T cells after activation. There are probably 2 modes of SLAM signaling: one in which the inhibitor SH2D1A serves as a negative regulator and another in which protein-tyrosine phosphatase 2C (PTPN11)-dependent signal transduction functions.

SNRPD1 Human Recombinant produced in SF9 is a glycosylated, polypeptide chain having a calculated molecular mass of 16kDa.
SNRPD1 is expressed with a -6x His tag at N-terminus and purified by proprietary chromatographic techniques.

Granulocyte/Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factors are cytokines that act in hematopoiesis by controlling the production, differentiation, and function of 2 related white cell populations of the blood, the granulocytes and the monocytes-macrophages. CSF-1 induces cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage. It plays a role in immunological defenses, bone metabolism, lipoproteins clearance, fertility and pregnancy.

CRP is an acute phase protein that correlates with inflammatory disease and is synthesized by hepatocytes during the acute phase response by certain cytokines (IL-1 and TNF Alpha and Beta). CRP levels increase dramatically (up to 1,000 fold) and serve as a useful marker of inflammation in such conditions as bacterial infection, rheumatoid arthritis, viral infections, transplantation rejection, meningitis, myocardial infarction, septicemia, osteomyelitis and others. CRP is also highly correlated to Serum Amyloid A levels.

Fibroblast Growth Factor 17 (FGF17) belongs to the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family. FGF family members have broad mitogenic and cell survival activities, and are involved in various biological processes including embryonic development cell growth, morphogenesis, tissue repair, tumor growth and invasion. The FGF17 gene is highly expressed in the cerebellum and cortex. The mouse homolog of the FGF17 gene is localized to specific sites in the midline structures of the forebrain, the midbrain-hindbrain junction, developing skeleton and developing arteries, suggesting a role in central nervous system, bone and vascular development.

ACVR2A takes part in various biological processes including mesoderm induction, neural cell differentiation, bone remodeling, hematopoiesis, carcinogenesis, and inflammation. ACVR2A which is a receptor for Actv A, Actv B and inhibin A mediates induction of adipogenesis by GDF6.

Stromal Cell-Derived Factor 2 (SDF2) is a secretory protein which is partly similar to the hydrophilic segments of yeast mannosyltransferases. SDF2 protein’s expression is ubiquitous and the gene is rather conserved among mammals. SDF2 is a protein-coding gene whose alternative splicing results in coding and non-coding variants.

FGF-basic is a member of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family. FGF family members bind heparin and possess broad mitogenic and angiogenic activities. This protein has been implicated in diverse biological processes, such as limb and nervous system development, wound healing, and tumor growth. The mRNA for this gene contains multiple polyadenylation sites, and is alternatively translated from AUG and non-AUG (CUG) initiation codons resulting in five different isoforms with distinct properties. The CUG-initiated isoforms are localized in the nucleus and are responsible for the intracrine effect, whereas, the AUG-initiated form is mostly cytosolic and is responsible for the paracrine and autocrine effects of this FGF.
The heparin-binding growth factors are angiogenic agents in vivo and are potent mitogens for a variety of cell types in vitro. there are differences in the tissue distribution and concentration of these 2 growth factors.

FSTL1 protein resembles follistatin, an ACTV-binding protein. FSTL1 is an autoantigen associated with rheumatoid arthritis and it holds an FS section, a follistatin-like sequence having 10 conserved cysteine residues.

Renin is a highly specific endopeptidase which generates angiotensin I from angiotensinogen in the plasma. angiotensin I is an important regulator of blood pressure and electrolyte balance. Renin initiates a cascade of reactions that produce an elevation of blood pressure and increased sodium retention by the kidney.

ICAM-1 also called CD54 is a single chain membrane glycoprotein expressed on the surface of a variety of non-haematopoietic and haematopoietic cell types and has roles in signal transduction, cell signaling and lymphocyte adhesion. ICAM1 binds to integrins such as CD11a / CD18, or CD11b / CD18. ICAM1 is also used by Rhinovirus as a receptor. ICAM-1 is an intercellular adhesion molecule constantly present in low concentrations in the membranes of leukocytes and endothelial cells. When stimulated by cytokine the concentrations significantly increase. ICAM-1 can be stimulated by interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFA) and is expressed by the vascular endothelium, macrophages and lymphocytes. ICAM-1 is a ligand for LFA-1 which is a receptor found on leukocytes. Upon activation, leukocytes bind to endothelial cells via ICAM-1/LFA-1 and then transmigrate into tissues.
ICAM-1 is implicated in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Levels of ICAM-1 are shown to be notably elevated in patients with SAH.
Soluble ICAM-1 is detectable in the plasma and is elevated in patients with various inflammatory conditions.

HER-2/neu (erbB-2) encodes an 185-kDa orphan receptor tyrosine kinase that is constitutively active as a dimer and displays potent oncogenic activity when overexpressed. Herstatin, as the product of alternative HER-2 transcript, retains intron 8.
The herstatin mRNA is expressed in normal human fetal kidney and liver, but is at reduced levels relative to p185HER-2 mRNA in carcinoma cells that contain an amplified HER-2 gene. Herstatin appears to be an inhibitor of p185HER-2, because it disrupts dimers, reduces tyrosine phosphorylation of p185, and inhibits the anchorage-independent growth of transformed cells that overexpress HER-2.

NT3 a member of the neurotrophin family, that controls survival and differentiation of mammalian neurons. This protein is closely related to both nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. It may be involved in the maintenance of the adult nervous system, and may affect development of neurons in the embryo when it is expressed in human placenta. NTF3-deficient mice generated by gene targeting display severe movement defects of the limbs. The mature peptide of this protein is identical in all mammals examined including human, pig, rat and mouse.

Epidermal growth factor has a profound effect on the differentiation of specific cells in vivo and is a potent mitogenic factor for a variety of cultured cells of both ectodermal and mesodermal origin. The EGF precursor is believed to exist as a membrane-bound molecule which is proteolytically cleaved to generate the 53-amino acid peptide hormone that stimulates cells to divide.
EGF stimulates the growth of various epidermal and epithelial tissues in vivo and in vitro and of some fibroblasts in cell culture.

SEPT5 is a member of the septin gene family of nucleotide binding proteins which were initially defined in yeast as cell division cycle regulatory proteins. Septins are extremely conserved in yeast, Drosophila, and mouse and seem to regulate cytoskeletal organization. Interference of septin function disrupts cytokinesis and results in high multinucleate or polyploid cells.

Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is a hormone synthesised and secreted by gonadotropes in the anterior pituitary gland. FSH and LH act synergistically in reproductionIn women, in the ovary FSH stimulates the growth of immature Graafian follicles to maturation. As the follicle grows it releases inhibin, which shuts off the FSH production.
In men, FSH enhances the production of androgen-binding proteinby the Sertoli cells of the testes and is critical for spermatogenesis.
In both males and females, FSH stimulates the maturation of germ cells. In females, FSH initiates follicular growth, specifically affecting granulosa cells. With the concomitant rise in inhibin B FSH levels then decline in the late follicular phase. This seems to be critical in selecting only the most advanced follicle to proceed to ovulation. At the end of the luteal phase, there is a slight rise in FSH that seems to be of importance to start the next ovulatory cycle.
Like its partner, LH, FSH release at the pituitary gland is controlled by pulses of gonadotropin-releasing hormone(GnRH). Those pulses, in turn, are subject to the estrogen feed-back from the gonads.

Integrins are heterodimeric integral membrane proteins composed of an alpha chain and a beta chain. This I-domain containing alpha integrin combines with the beta 2 chain (ITGB2) to form a leukocyte-specific integrin referred to as macrophage receptor 1 ('Mac-1'), or inactivated-C3b (iC3b) receptor 3 ('CR3'). The alpha M beta 2 integrin is important in the adherence of neutrophils and monocytes to stimulated endothelium, and also in the phagocytosis of complement coated particles. Integrin alpha-m/beta-2 is implicated in various adhesive interactions of monocytes, macrophages and granulocytes as well as in mediating the uptake of complement-coated particles. CD-11b is identical with cr-3, the receptor for the ic3b fragment of the third complement component. CD-11b probably recognizes the r-g-d peptide in c3b. Integrin alpha-m/beta-2 is also a receptor for fibrinogen, factor x and icam1. it recognizes p1 and p2 peptides of fibrinogen gamma chain.

CD3D, also known as Delta Polypeptide (TiT3 Complex), is a single-pass type 1 membrane protein. CD3D jointly with CD3-zeta, CD3-gamma, CD3-epsilon and the T-cell receptor alpha/beta and gamma/delta heterodimers, creates the T-cell receptor-CD3 complex. Once antigen presenting cells (APCs) activate T-cell receptor (TCR), TCR-mediated signals are transferred through the cell membrane by the CD3 chains CD3D, CD3E, CD3G and CD3Z. Likewise, CD3D takes an important part in adaptive immune response and participates in thymocyte differentiation.

Interleukin-18 receptor accessory protein (IL18RAP), belongs to the IL-1 family of cytokines which holds multiple immunoregulatory functions. It has been found that IL18RAP does not mediate IL18-binding, however, IL18RAP is involved in IL18-dependent signal transduction, which leads to NF-kappa-B and JNK activation. IL18R1 as well as IL18RAP polymorphisms have been linked with the following diseases: schizophrenia, HSV1 seropositivity and atopic asthma.

Surfeit-2 (SURF2) is a member of the SURF2 family. SURF2 interacts with beta-1, 4-Gal-T3, uPAR and WDR20. SURF2 is located in the surfeit gene cluster, a group of extremely tightly linked genes that don't share sequence similarity. The SURF2 gene maps to human chromosome 9q34.2 and shares a bidirectional promoter with SURF1 that is found on the opposite strand. The intergenic region between the SURF1 and SURF2 genes is expected to have bidirectional promoter activity, as is found in mice.

The FGFs are a family of more than 20 small (~17–26 kDa) secreted peptides. The initial characterization of these proteins focused on their ability to stimulate fibroblast proliferation. This mitogenic activity was mediated through FGF receptors (FGFRs) 1, 2, or 3. A fourth closely related tyrosine kinase receptor (FGFR4) was able to bind the FGFs but did not lead to a mitogenic response.
FGFs modulate cellular activity via at least 5 distinct subfamilies of high-affinity FGF receptors (FGFRs): FGFR-1, -2, -3, and -4, all with intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity and, except for FGFR-4, multiple splice isoforms, and FGFR-5, which lacks an intracellular kinase domain. There is growing evidence that FGFRs can be important for regulation of glucose and lipid homeostasis. The overexpression of a dominant negative form of FGFR-1 in cells leads to diabetes in mice, which thus implies that proper FGF signaling is required for normal ? cell function and glycemia maintenance. FGFR-2 appears to be a key molecule during pancreatic development. Moreover, FGFR-4 has been implicated in cholesterol metabolism and bile acid synthesis.
FGF-19, has been shown to cause resistance to diet-induced obesity and desensitization and to improve glucose, and lipid profiles in diabetic rodents. Since these effects, at least in part, are mediated through the observed changes in metabolic rates, FGF-19 can be considered as a regulator of energy expenditure.
FGF-21 is preferentially expressed in liver, but an exact knowledge of FGF-21 bioactivity and its mode of action have been lacking to date. FGF-21 is a potent activator of glucose uptake on adipocytes, protects animals from diet-induced obesity when overexpressed in transgenic mice, and lowers blood glucose and triglyceride levels when therapeutically administered to diabetic rodents.

Pleiotrophin (Osteoblast-Specific Factor-1, OSF-1) contains 136 amino acid residues. The sequence is very rich in cationic amino acids (24% of the residues); lysine cluster sequences are found in the N-terminal and C-terminal ends of the structure.
The OSF-1 gene was shown by Northern blotting analysis to be expressed in mouse calvarial osteoblast-enriched cells and in mouse brain tissues, but not in thymus, spleen, kidney, liver, lung, testis or heart. Pleiotrophin has the ability to promote adhesion, migration, expansion, and differentiation of human osteoprogenitor cells. In addition to certain types of cancer, the embryonic growth and differentiation factor pleiotrophin is found also in adults in inflammatory diseases. In osteoarthritis, pleiotrophin is especially expressed in early stages, and its concentrations in the synovial fluid could serve as a marker for the progress of the disease. Pleitrophin might be involved in cartilage repair in osteoarthritis, in particular, in earlier stages.