INTENDED USE & DESCRIPTION
For use as quantitative controls for the determination of cytokine concentrations in biological fluids. Concentrations have been assigned using R&D Systems’ Quantikine® kits. Controls are prepared in diluted porcine serum with preservatives. They contain recombinant human cytokines at low, medium and high concentrations. Controls are supplied lyophilized.
STORAGE & STABILITY
Unreconstituted Controls should be stored at 2-8 °C and are stable for at least 6 months from date of receipt. Depending on the analyte of interest, reconstituted controls may be stable when stored at
REAGENT PREPARATION
Reconstitute each vial with the volume of deionized or distilled water indicated on the product datasheet.
PROCEDURE & EXPECTED VALUES
Controls should be assayed in the same manner as unknown specimens.
The acceptable ranges for the analytes in these controls are printed on the product datasheet. Due to possible variations in techniques and methodologies, it is recommended that each laboratory determine its own target range. Laboratories using other test systems should establish their own acceptable ranges as these assays may produce different values.
TECHNICAL HINTS & LIMITATIONS OF THE PROCEDURE
• The ranges were determined using R&D Systems’ Quantikine kits. If expected values are not obtained, verify that the lot numbers on the vials correspond with the lot numbers listed above and the correct volume of deionized or distilled water was used for reconstitution of the controls.
• The results obtained with these controls depend upon several factors associated with methods and instrumentation. Test systems other than those supplied by R&D Systems may result in values that differ from those printed on this product datasheet.
Transforming Growth Factor Beta 1, 2, and 3 (TGF-beta 1, TGF-beta 2, and TGF-beta 3) are highly pleiotropic cytokines that virtually all cell types secrete. TGF-beta molecules are proposed to act as cellular switches that regulate processes such as immune function, proliferation, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Targeted deletions of these genes in mice show that each TGF-beta isoform has some non-redundant functions: TGF-beta 1 is involved in hematopoiesis and endothelial differentiation; TGF-beta 2 affects development of cardiac, lung, craniofacial, limb, eye, ear, and urogenital systems; and TGF-beta 3 influences palatogenesis and pulmonary development. The full range of in vitro biological activities of TGF-beta 5 has not yet been explored. However, TGF-beta 1, TGF-beta 2, TGF-beta 3, and TGF-beta 5 have been found to be largely interchangeable in an inhibitory bioassay, and it is anticipated that TGF-beta 5 will show a spectrum of activities similar to the other TGF-beta family members. To date, the production of TGF-beta 5 has only been demonstrated in Xenopus.
TGF-beta ligands are initially synthesized as precursor proteins that undergo proteolytic cleavage. The mature segments form active ligand dimers via a disulfide-rich core consisting of the characteristic 'cysteine knot'. TGF-beta signaling begins with binding to a complex of the accessory receptor betaglycan (also known as TGF-beta RIII) and a type II serine/threonine kinase receptor termed TGF-beta RII. This receptor then phosphorylates and activates a type I serine/threonine kinase receptor, either ALK-1 or TGF-beta RI (also called ALK-5). The activated type I receptor phosphorylates and activates Smad proteins that regulate transcription. Use of other signaling pathways that are Smad-independent allows for distinct actions observed in response to TGF-beta in different contexts.
