Research Overview
TB-500 is a synthetic peptide corresponding to a 43-amino-acid active region of the naturally occurring protein Thymosin Beta-4 (Tβ4). Thymosin Beta-4 is one of the most abundant actin-sequestering proteins found in mammalian cells and is broadly expressed in platelets, leukocytes and a wide range of tissues. The TB-500 research peptide carries the sequence Ac-SDKPMAEIEKFDKSKLKKTETQKNPLPSKETIEQEKQAGES and has a molecular weight of 4963.7 g/mol and CAS number 77591-33-4.
Because the parent protein is involved in actin dynamics, cell migration and angiogenesis, the synthetic fragment has become a standard research tool in studies examining how cells reorganise during repair processes. TB-500 has been used in models of cardiac injury, soft-tissue repair, dermal wound assays and hair-follicle research, where investigators measure outcomes such as cell migration rate, capillary tube formation and matrix deposition.
Each vial supplied by Origin Research contains 10mg of lyophilised TB-500 at 98.1% purity by HPLC, sealed under inert atmosphere and shipped with batch-specific Certificates of Analysis available on request. Strictly for in-vitro and preclinical laboratory research.
Mechanism Studied in Research
The mechanism of TB-500 in published research is generally framed around the biology of its parent protein, Thymosin Beta-4. The peptide binds monomeric actin and modulates the equilibrium between G-actin and F-actin pools, allowing cells to rapidly reorganise their cytoskeleton. This actin-remodelling activity has been associated with enhanced cell migration, endothelial movement and tissue-repair signalling in experimental models.
Research has documented interactions with integrin-linked kinase pathways, angiogenesis-related signalling and inflammatory-modulation mechanisms. Studies have reported increased endothelial-cell migration, vascular remodelling and tissue-repair responses in laboratory settings. Across these models, the unifying theme is that TB-500 acts as a regulator of cytoskeletal dynamics and cell movement rather than as a classical receptor agonist.
Research Applications
Soft-tissue repair research. TB-500 is widely used in muscle, tendon and ligament injury models, where investigators examine markers of repair such as collagen deposition, satellite-cell recruitment and matrix organisation.
Cardiac and vascular research. Following the Bock-Marquette work on infarct models, TB-500 has been investigated in cardiomyocyte-survival and vascular-remodelling studies. The actin-modulating and angiogenesis-supporting properties make it a recurring tool in vascular biology.
Dermal and ocular wound research. Researchers have published extensive work on corneal and dermal wound models, with TB-500 used to investigate tissue migration, anti-inflammatory signalling and matrix remodelling.
Hair-follicle and dermal appendage research. A smaller but distinct body of work has investigated TB-500 in dermal-cell migration and follicle-regeneration models, often alongside compounds such as BPC-157, GHK-Cu and growth-factor pathways.
Reconstitution Reference
TB-500 is supplied as a 10mg lyophilised powder under inert atmosphere. The standard research protocol uses bacteriostatic water containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol. The vial and diluent are equilibrated to room temperature and the stopper is wiped with alcohol swabs before piercing.
A practical working example for the 10mg vial is the addition of 2ml of diluent, producing a concentration of 5mg/ml. The diluent should be added slowly down the inner wall of the vial. Vigorous shaking is avoided. The lyophilised cake should dissolve into a clear solution within a few minutes.
Storage and Handling
Lyophilised TB-500 is stable when stored sealed at -20°C, protected from light and moisture. For storage beyond 24 months, -80°C is recommended. Once reconstituted in bacteriostatic water, the solution should be stored at 2-8°C and used within approximately 28 days.
Repeated freeze-thaw cycles should be avoided. The vial is kept away from direct light and refrigerated material is allowed to reach room temperature before drawing samples to prevent condensation forming inside the vial.
References
[2] Bock-Marquette I et al. (2004). Thymosin beta-4 activates integrin-linked kinase and promotes cardiac cell migration, survival and cardiac repair. Nature. PMID 15356626
[3] Sosne G et al. (2001). Thymosin beta-4 promotes corneal wound healing and decreases inflammation in vivo. Exp Eye Res.
[4] Crockford D et al. (2009). Thymosin beta-4: structure, function, and biological properties supporting current and future clinical applications. Ann N Y Acad Sci. PMID 20034010
[5] Philp D et al. (2003). Thymosin beta-4 and its actin-binding domain promote angiogenesis. Ann N Y Acad Sci.