Recombinant Protein Definition and Information

What is a recombinant protein?

A recombinant protein is a manufactured protein that has been produced using cells engineered to carry a gene of interest. Recombinant proteins can have the same amino acid sequence as the corresponding naturally occurring (wild-type) protein, or have their sequence modified for improved properties such as solubility or production yield.

There are myriad applications for recombinants proteins in biomedical research, as well as diagnostics and therapeutics. Recombinant proteins have become an important tool in various areas of science. Laboratory uses for recombinant proteins include:

• Cell culture supplements, including growth factors for primary cell expansion, differentiation, or stem cell reprogramming
• Generation of organoids and other 3D cell cultures for disease modeling and drug discovery
•  Expansion of CAR-T cells by stimulation with recombinant cytokines
• Investigational tools for probing cellular function and cell signaling pathways
• Antigens for immunization and production of antibodies
• Components of functional cell-based assays such as  cell migration and angiogenesis

The above applications require that the recombinant protein be biologically active; that is, the protein is recognized by cells and cause changes in those cells. Bioactivity can be measured in an appropriate cell-based assay and quantified as a specific activity or EC₅₀.

Look up international units for PeproTech proteins
Search catalog of bioactive recombinant proteins

Non-bioactive recombinant proteins may be used as standards in protein analysis studies including immunoassays such as western blotting, ELISA, gel shift, and immunohistochemistry.

Many biologically important classes of recombinant proteins are available commercially, obviating the need to express, purify, and validate commonly used bioactive recombinant protein(s).

Major types of recombinant proteins include:

• Growth factors: a group of intercellular signaling proteins that cells produce and use to communicate. They stimulate a variety of cellular processes including cell division, differentiation, migration and survival. Prominent growth factor families include: 
  • FGF: fibroblast growth factors
    • Learn more about the FGF family
    • Explore FGF signaling pathways
  • VEGF: vascular endothelial growth factors
    • Learn more about VEGF
    • Explore the VEGF signaling pathway
  • Neurotrophins: a subset of growth factors that act primarily on cells involved in the brain and nervous system
• Cytokines: including interferons, interleukins, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and chemokines critical to immune cell function and communication
• Enzymes: bioactive proteins that can perform chemical transformations; includes recombinant proteases, kinases, and nucleases

Learn more about chemokine structure and function
Explore cytokine and growth factor pathways

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연구 등급 재조합 단백질은 세포 모델 개발, 세포 표현형 유지, 체외 어세이 등 다양한 생명과학 연구 애플리케이션에 적합합니다.

Gibco PeproTech RUO 단백질의 사양 보기

As an additional safeguard against animal pathogen contamination, animal-free recombinant proteins are made using raw materials that are not of animal origin.

Learn more about PeproTech animal free recombinant proteins

GMP-manufactured recombinant proteins undergo extensive testing and are accompanied by documentation to support projects/applications that require this level of rigor.

Learn more about PeproGMP recombinant proteins

See all recombinant protein FAQs

General

• Technical note: Converting ED₅₀ (ng/mL) to specific activity (units/mg)

3D cell culture

• Application note: Generation of MCF7 spheroids in serum-free conditions
• Peer-reviewed methods for organoid generation with recombinant growth factors
• Flyer: Recombinant proteins for organoid research

Immunology

• Application note: Integrated generation and characterization of CAR-T cells
• Protocol: In vitro differentiation of macrophages from monocytes via M-CSF

Neurobiology

• Application note: Enhanced proliferation of primary NSCs and sustained differentiation into precursors using heat-stable bFGF
• Protocol: Differentiating neural stem cells into neurons and glial cells

• Flyer: Recombinant cytokines and growth factors for differentiation of embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells

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