Search
Stem Cell Growth Factors & |
Click image to enlarge
Stem cell growth factors and cytokines play key roles in healthy stem cell cultures. Some maintain pluripotency, enable self-renewal, and prevent spontaneous differentiation of ESCs and iPSCs, whereas other growth factors reprogram stem cells through protein-mediated initiation or inhibition of cell signaling pathways.
Gibco PeproTech recombinant proteins for stem cell culture and differentiation
Thermo Fisher Scientific offers stem cell growth factors, cytokines, and other stem cell-related recombinant proteins in the PeproTech portfolio to effectively maintain, expand, and differentiate stem cells into desired phenotypes.
Explore stem cell-related cytokines and growth factors by cell type
Poster: Protein-induced pluripotent stem cell differentiation pathways
Identify specific recombinant proteins used to differentiate pluripotent stem cells (iPSC/ESC) into your cell of interest with this ESC/iPSC differentiation pathways poster.
Stem cell growth factors and cytokines for maintaining pluripotency
 | Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) and embryonic stem cell (ESC) cultures differ in cell source but share the ability to differentiate into any cell type, making them ideal candidates for cell therapy and cell biology studies. Stem cell growth factors such as FGF-basic maintain pluripotent stem cell cultures through genetic regulation of cellular survival, apoptosis, and proliferation. Recombinant proteins such as BMP-4 are also used to block unwanted differentiation in pluripotent stem cell cultures. |
Pluripotent stem cell culture and renewal proteins
| Functional group | Factor / Cytokine | Primary role in pluripotency |
|---|---|---|
| Self-renewal & pluripotency maintenance | FGF-basic (FGF-2/bFGF) | Promotes proliferation and supports self-renewal of human pluripotent stem cells by suppressing spontaneous differentiation [1]. |
| Nanog | Core transcription factor maintaining pluripotency; prevents differentiation into somatic lineages [2]. | |
| Sox2 | Regulates expression of pluripotency genes with Oct4 and Nanog; essential for maintaining undifferentiated state [3]. | |
| TGF-beta | Sustains pluripotency through SMAD2/3 signaling; cooperates with FGF to prevent differentiation[4]. | |
| Differentiation & lineage specification | BMP-4 | Induces mesoderm and trophectoderm differentiation; balances pluripotency and lineage specification with FGF/TGF-β signals [5]. |
| Wnt-3a | Modulates pluripotency and germ layer specification via canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling [6]. | |
| Extracellular matrix support | Vitronectin | Provides a defined, xeno-free substrate for PSC attachment and growth; supports long-term undifferentiated culture [7]. |
Stem cell cytokines and growth factors for hematopoietic cell differentiation
 | Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) differentiate into all blood cell types from the myeloid and lymphoid lineages. The cytokine IL-7 drives HSCs to differentiate into lymphoid progenitors, whereas combination of the cytokine IL-3 and stem cell growth factor GM-CSF sends HSCs down the myeloid lineage. Supplementing lymphoid stem cell cultures with other cytokines and growth factors drives differentation into immune cell types like T cells, B cells, and NK cells. By application of the correct combination of growth factors, myeloid stem cell cultures can be differentiated into neutrophils, macrophages or dendritic cells. |
Stem cell growth factors for HSC renewal
| Functional group | Cytokine / Growth factor | Primary role in hematopoiesis |
|---|---|---|
| Lineage-specific differentiation & survival | IL-2 | Drives proliferation and activation of mature T lymphocytes; regulates immune tolerance and effector function [8]. |
| IL-4 | Promotes B cell activation and antibody class switching; supports Th2-type T-cell differentiation [9]. | |
| IL-7 | Essential for lymphoid progenitor survival and differentiation, especially B and T cell development [10]. | |
| Stem cell maintenance & proliferation | SCF (Stem cell factor) | Promotes survival, self-renewal, and proliferation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells via c-Kit receptor signaling [11]. |
| TPO (Thrombopoietin) | Regulates HSC quiescence, expansion, and megakaryocyte differentiation; maintains stem cell pool in bone marrow [12]. | |
| Early hematopoietic progenitor expansion | IL-3 | Stimulates proliferation and differentiation of multipotent progenitors into myeloid and erythroid lineages; synergizes with SCF and IL-6 [11]. |
| IL-6 | Supports HSC proliferation and myeloid lineage commitment; modulates inflammatory regulation of hematopoiesis [13]. |
Hematopoietic stem cell differentiation brochure
HSCs undergo a series of changes as they develop into the mature blood cells found in circulation. In cell culture, these changes can be induced by growth factors and cytokines. Visualize the proteins needed to drive hematopoietic stem cell differentiation in vitro.
Stem cell cytokines and growth factors for mesenchymal cell differentiation
 | Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) cells are multipotent, perivascular cells found in bone marrow and other vascularized tissues. Given exposure to different mesenchymal stem cell supplements these cells undergo changes via cell signaling pathways such as chondrogenesis, adipogenesis, myogenesis, and osteogenesis. |
Stem cell growth factors for MSC proliferation and renewal
| Functional group | Cytokine / Growth factor | Primary role in MSCs |
|---|---|---|
| MSC proliferation & maintenance | EGF (Epidermal growth factor) | Stimulates MSC proliferation and supports osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation through ERK signaling [14]. |
| FGF-basic (FGF-2/bFGF) | Enhances MSC proliferation, maintains multipotency, and delays senescence during in vitro expansion [15]. | |
| LIF (Leukemia inhibitory Factor) | Modulates MSC self-renewal and suppresses differentiation through STAT3 signaling; supports pluripotent state in embryonic stem cells [16]. | |
| Differentiation & lineage commitment | HGF (Hepatocyte growth factor) | Enhances MSC motility, survival, and differentiation toward epithelial and endothelial phenotypes; promotes tissue repair [17]. |
| PDGF-BB (Platelet-derived growth factor-BB) | Promotes MSC migration, proliferation, and differentiation into smooth muscle and perivascular cells [18]. | |
| Wnt-3a | Directs osteogenic lineage commitment via canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling; inhibits adipogenic differentiation [19]. |
Table 3. Recombinant growth factors for mesenchymal stem cell differentiation
| Protein | Chondrocyte | Osteocyte | Myocyte | Adipocyte |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMP-2 | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| BMP-4 | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| BMP-6 | ✓ | |||
| BMP-7 | ✓ | |||
| CCL8 (MCP-2) | ✓ | |||
| CXCL9 | ✓ | |||
| FGF-10 | ✓ | |||
| FGF-4 | ✓ | |||
| FGF-8 | ✓ | |||
| FGF-9 | ✓ | |||
| FGF-basic (FGF-2/bFGF) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| FLT-3 ligand (FLT3L) | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| IGF-1 | ✓ | |||
| IL-1 | ✓ | |||
| IL-11 | ✓ | |||
| IL-15 | ✓ | |||
| IL-6 | ✓ | |||
| IL-7 | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| IL-8 (CXCL8) | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| LIGHT | ✓ | |||
| M-CSF | ✓ | |||
| TRANCE (RANKL) | ✓ | |||
| CXCL12 (SDF-1a) | ✓ | |||
| TGF-beta 1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| VEGF-165 | ✓ |
Mesenchymal stem cell differentiation brochure
Growth factors and cytokines can help differentiate MSC into adipocytes, chondrocytes, myocytes, and osteocytes in vitro. Learn more about MSC differentiation, sourcing, and characteristics in this brochure.
Growth factors and cytokines for differentiating other progenitor cells
 | Stem cell growth factors and cytokines for neural cell differentiationNeural stem cells are multipotent stem cells that produce the main phenotypes of the nervous system. Basal, glial, and neuronal stem cell progenitors differentiate into the cells of the central nervous system like motor and peripheral neurons or astrocytes. |
Table 4. Recombinant growth factors for neural stem cell renewal and glial progenitor differentiation
| Protein | Neural stem cell renewal | Glial progenitor | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astrocyte I | Type II astrocyte | Oligodendrocyte | ||
| CNTF | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| EGF | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| FGF-basic (FGF-2/bFGF) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| IGF-1 | ✓ | |||
| NT-3 | ✓ | |||
| PDGF AA/BB/AB | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Sonic Hedgehog C25II (Shh) | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Table 5. Recombinant growth factors for neuronal cell differentiation from basal and neuron-restricted progenitors
| Protein | Basal progenitor | Neuron-restricted progenitor | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motor | Peripheral | Dopaminergic | Glutamatergic | GABAergic | |
| BDNF | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| beta-NGF | ✓ | ||||
| BMP-2 | ✓ | ||||
| BMP-4 | ✓ | ||||
| EGF | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| FGF-10 | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| FGF-4 | ✓ | ||||
| FGF-8b | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| FGF-basic (FGF-2/bFGF) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| GDNF | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| IGF-1 | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| NT-4 | ✓ | ||||
| PDGF AA/BB/AB | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Sonic Hedgehog C25II (Shh) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Neural stem cell differentiation brochure
Learn about the role of growth factors and cytokines in neural stem cell research, disease modeling, and regenerative medicine.
Growth factors and cytokines for differentiating other progenitor cells
iPSC/ESC can differentiate into any cell lineage via the three germ layers in vivo. While challenges exist to replicate these processes in vitro across all human tissues, with the right combination of growth factors iPSC/ESC can be driven to differentiate into numerous cell types important for disease model research including lung, gut, pancreatic, thyroid, and hepatic cells.
Table 6. Other stem cell differentiation-driving recombinant proteins
| Protein | Lung | Gut | Pancreatic | Hepatic | Thyroid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Activin A | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| BMP-4 | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| EGF | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| FGF-10 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| FGF-4 | ✓ | ||||
| FGF-7 (KGF) | ✓ | ||||
| FGF-basic (FGF-2/bFGF) | ✓ | ||||
| HGF | ✓ | ||||
| Noggin | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| R-Spondin | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| TGF-beta 1 | ✓ | ||||
| Wnt-3a | ✓ |
References
- Xu RH, Peck RM, Li DS, et al. (2005) Basic FGF and suppression of BMP signaling sustain undifferentiated proliferation of human ES cells. Nat Methods 2(3):185–190.
- Chambers I, Silva J, Colby D, et al. (2007) Nanog safeguards pluripotency and mediates germline development. Nature 450(7173):1230–1234.
- Avilion AA, Nicolis SK, Pevny LH, et al. (2003) Multipotent cell lineages in early mouse development depend on SOX2 function. Genes Dev 17(1):126–140.
- James D, Levine AJ, Besser D, et al. (2005) TGFβ/Activin/Nodal signaling is necessary for the maintenance of pluripotency in human embryonic stem cells. Development 132(7):1273–1282.
- Ying QL, Nichols J, Chambers I, et al. (2003) BMP induction of Id proteins suppresses differentiation and sustains embryonic stem cell self-renewal in collaboration with STAT3. Cell 115(3):281–292.
- Sato N, Meijer L, Skaltsounis L, et al. (2004) Maintenance of pluripotency in human and mouse embryonic stem cells through activation of Wnt signaling by a pharmacological GSK-3-specific inhibitor. Nat Med 10(1):55–63.
- Braam SR, Zeinstra L, Litjens S, et al. (2008) Recombinant vitronectin is a functionally defined substrate that supports human embryonic stem cell self-renewal via alphavbeta5 integrin. Stem Cells 26(9):2257–2265.
- Malek TR, Castro I (2010) Interleukin-2 receptor signaling: at the interface between tolerance and immunity. Immunity 33(2):153–165.
- Paul WE (1991) Interleukin-4: a prototypic immunoregulatory lymphokine. Blood 77(9):1859–1870.
- Akashi K, Kondo M, Freeden-Jeffry U, et al. (1997) Bcl-2 rescues T lymphopoiesis in interleukin-7 receptor-deficient mice. Cell 89(7):1033–1041.
- Metcalf D (1995) The hematopoietic colony-stimulating factors. Cambridge University Press.
- Kaushansky K (1995) Thrombopoietin: the primary regulator of platelet production. Blood 86(2):419–431.
- Mirantes C, Passegué E, Pietras EM (2014) Pro-inflammatory cytokines: emerging players regulating HSC function in normal and diseased hematopoiesis. Exp Cell Res 329(2):248–254.
- Tamama K, Fan VH, Griffith LG, et al. (2007) Epidermal growth factor as a candidate for ex vivo expansion of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Stem Cells 24(3):686–695.
- Tsutsumi S, Shimazu A, Miyazaki K, et al. (2001) Retention of multilineage differentiation potential of mesenchymal cells during proliferation in response to FGF. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 288(2):413–419.
- Niwa H, Budon T, Chanbers I, et al. (1998) Self-renewal of pluripotent embryonic stem cells is mediated via activation of STAT3. Genes Dev 12(13):2048–2060.
- Zarnegar R, Michalopoulos GK (1995) The many faces of hepatocyte growth factor: from hepatopoiesis to morphogenesis. J Cell Biol 129(5):1177–1180.
- Mellgren AM, Smith CL, Olsen GS, et al. (2007) Platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta signaling is required for efficient epicardial cell migration and development of two distinct coronary vascular smooth muscle cell populations. Circ Res 103(12):1393–1401.
- Boland GM, Perkins G, Hall DJ, et al. (2004) Wnt 3a promotes proliferation and suppresses osteogenic differentiation of adult human mesenchymal stem cells. J Biol Chem 93(6):1210–1230.
Resources for stem-cell related bioactive proteins
Related products
Resources
Recombinant proteins learning center
Learn what recombinant proteins are, what they are used for, and what types are available
About PeproTech proteins
Learn about the PeproTech brand of recombinant proteins
Gibco cell culture basics
Learn about all aspects of cell culture
3D cell culture protocols
See which recombinant proteins are used to generate organoids
Western transfer protocols and recipes
Procedures and buffers for performing western blots
Cytokine and growth factor signaling pathways
Explore the role of proteins and cytokines in various signaling pathways
Support
Recombinant Proteins Support Center
Find Getting Started guides, protocols, troubleshooting, and other resources
Recombinant proteins FAQs
Search the database to find answers to your questions
Contact general support
Get technical or customer support for any recombinant protein; find SDS, CoA, and phone numbers based on a specific product
Contact GMP support
Get in touch with GMP technical and regulatory experts
Related Products
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.
Stylesheet for Classic Wide Template adjustments
Hero banner dark gradient overlay