Recombinant Mouse SCF, Tag Free

Stem cell factor (SCF), also known as c-kit ligand (KL), mast cell growth factor (MGF), and steel factor (SLF), is a widely expressed 28 - 40 kDa type I transmembrane glycoprotein ^[1]. It promotes the survival, differentiation, and mobilization of multiple cell types including myeloid, erythroid, megakaryocytic, lymphoid, germ cell, and melanocyte progenitors ^[1-7]. SCF is a primary growth and activation factor for mast cells and eosinophils ^[8]. Mature mouse SCF consists of a 189 amino acid (aa) extracellular domain (ECD), a 23 aa transmembrane segment, and a 36 aa cytoplasmic tail ^[9]. The ECD shows both N-linked and O-linked glycosylation ^[10]. Proteolytic cleavage at two alternate sites in the extracellular juxtamembrane region releases a 25 kDa soluble molecule which is comparable to the only form produced by Steel-dickie mutant mice ^{[11, 12]}. An alternately spliced isoform of mouse SCF lacks 28 aa that encompasses the primary proteolytic recognition site ^[13]. Within the ECD of the short isoform (corresponding to this recombinant protein), mouse SCF shares 93% aa sequence identity with rat SCF and 72% - 75% with canine, feline, and human SCF. Rat SCF is active on mouse and human cells, but human SCF is only weakly active on mouse cells ^[14]. Noncovalent dimers of transmembrane or soluble SCF interact with the receptor tyrosine kinase SCF R/c-kit to trigger receptor dimerization and signaling ^[15]. SCF assists in the recovery of cardiac function following myocardial infarction by increasing the number of cardiomyocytes and vascular channels ^[16]. 

Reference

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[16]. Kanellakis, P. et al. (2006) Cardiovasc. Res. 70:117.