Name: TGF alpha (Transforming growth factor-α), Human
Brand: Molecular Depot
SKU: B2018700
Price: 695.00 USD
Availability: InStock

<h2 data-section-id="qhm23g" data-start="0" data-end="57">What are growth factors and hormones for cell culture?</h2>
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Growth factors and hormones are defined signaling molecules added to serum-free and chemically defined media to replicate specific functions that FBS provides as an undefined mixture. The category includes insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGF-1, IGF-2) for glucose/amino acid uptake support, transferrin for iron transport regulation, epidermal growth factor (EGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) for proliferation/differentiation signaling, and hormones including hydrocortisone, progesterone, and triiodothyronine (T3) for broader metabolic and phenotype regulation. Each component addresses a documented gap left when FBS is removed from a formulation, and concentration requirements vary substantially across published protocols &mdash; reflecting both genuine cell-type-dependent optimization and the empirical, iterative nature of serum-free media development.
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<h2 dir="ltr">What you will discover:</h2>
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<a href="https://mbpinc.net/reagents/cell-biology/cell-culture/cell-culture-reagents/growth-factors-and-hormones/cytokines-and-chemokines" title="Cytokines &amp; Chemokines:">Cytokines &amp; Chemokines:</a> Engineered signaling proteins for targeted cell movement and chemotaxis tests.
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<a href="https://mbpinc.net/reagents/cell-biology/cell-culture/cell-culture-reagents/growth-factors-and-hormones/interferons-and-interleukins" title="Interferons and Interleukins:">Interferons and Interleukins:</a> Active immune mediators to examine antiviral reactions and clonal T-cell growth.
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<a href="https://mbpinc.net/reagents/cell-biology/cell-culture/cell-culture-reagents/growth-factors-and-hormones/epidermal-growth-factors-egf">Epidermal Growth Factors (EGF):</a> Growth-promoting proteins that enhance epithelial cell multiplication through RTK signaling pathways.
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<a href="https://mbpinc.net/reagents/cell-biology/cell-culture/cell-culture-reagents/growth-factors-and-hormones/fibroblast-growth-factors-fgf" title="Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGF):">Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGF):</a> Essential bioactive factors for maintaining stem cell culture and supporting angiogenesis.
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<a href="https://mbpinc.net/reagents/cell-biology/cell-culture/cell-culture-reagents/growth-factors-and-hormones/transforming-growth-factors">Transforming Growth Factors:</a> Proteins of the TGF-beta superfamily utilized in studies of tissue remodeling and differentiation.
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<a href="https://mbpinc.net/reagents/cell-biology/cell-culture/cell-culture-reagents/growth-factors-and-hormones/tumor-necrosis-factors" title="Tumor Necrosis Factors:">Tumor Necrosis Factors:</a> Functional TNF agents fine-tuned for triggering apoptosis and NF-kB signaling pathways.
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<a href="https://mbpinc.net/reagents/cell-biology/cell-culture/cell-culture-reagents/growth-factors-and-hormones/insulin-like-growth-factors" title="Insulin-like Growth Factors:">Insulin-like Growth Factors:</a> Pure IGF-1 and IGF-2 molecules for assessments of somatic growth and protein synthesis.
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<a href="https://mbpinc.net/reagents/cell-biology/cell-culture/cell-culture-reagents/growth-factors-and-hormones/nerve-growth-factors">Nerve Growth Factors:</a> Specific neurotrophins crucial for neuron survival and axonal growth studies.
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<a href="https://mbpinc.net/reagents/cell-biology/cell-culture/cell-culture-reagents/growth-factors-and-hormones/amino-acid-derived-hormones">Hormones Derived from Amino Acids:</a> Derivatives of tyrosine and tryptophan such as epinephrine and thyroid hormones.
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<a href="https://mbpinc.net/reagents/cell-biology/cell-culture/cell-culture-reagents/growth-factors-and-hormones/peptides-hormones" title="Peptide Hormones:">Peptide Hormones:</a> These are amino acid-based, water-soluble hormones that act by binding to receptors on the cell surface.
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<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"><a href="https://mbpinc.net/reagents/cell-biology/cell-culture/cell-culture-reagents/growth-factors-and-hormones/steroid-hormones" title="Steroid Hormones:">Steroid Hormones:</a> These are cholesterol-based, lipid-soluble hormones that easily pass through the cell membrane to act inside the cell.</li>
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<h2 data-section-id="1oa00yg" data-start="1277" data-end="1321">How to choose growth factors and hormones</h2>
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Insulin / IGF for glucose and amino acid uptake
Insulin (or IGF-1/IGF-2 as alternatives) supports glucose and amino acid uptake, generally necessary for long-term culture since cells eventually deplete this capacity without it, risking phenotype degradation. Documented concentration ranges are wide &mdash; 0.1&ndash;100 &micro;g/mL in many serum-free formulations, with some specific protocols citing up to 375 &micro;g/mL as most preferred. IGF-1/IGF-2 substitution concentrations are typically determined by titration experiments specific to the cell type.
Transferrin for iron delivery
Transferrin delivers iron in a non-toxic, receptor-mediated form &mdash; replicating serum's natural iron delivery mechanism. Documented ranges span roughly 0.05&ndash;50 &micro;g/mL, with 5&ndash;15 &micro;g/mL a commonly cited preferred range and approximately 5 &micro;g/mL frequently specified as a single preferred value. Transferrin is a core ITS (insulin-transferrin-selenium) component.
EGF and FGF for proliferation/differentiation
EGF concentration ranges documented across formulations span roughly 0.01&ndash;200 &micro;g/L in some sources to 0.1&ndash;100 ng/mL in others, with specific protocols often narrowing to 1&ndash;15 ng/mL (5&ndash;10 ng/mL preferred) or approximately 10 ng/mL. EGF aids culture establishment through scale-up and seeding phases; human (native or recombinant) EGF is preferred for formulations requiring no non-human biological components. FGF (including FGF2) ranges similarly span wide documented intervals depending on application &mdash; thermostable FGF variants address stability limitations of standard FGF at 37&deg;C.
Hydrocortisone and other hormones
Hydrocortisone documented ranges span 5&times;10⁻⁷ to 5&times;10⁻⁴ M in some serum-free formulations, 0.01&ndash;100 &micro;M in others, and 0.01&ndash;4.0 &micro;g/mL (0.4&ndash;16 &micro;g/mL preferred) or approximately 100 nM in specific application contexts. In keratinocyte culture, hydrocortisone promotes keratinocyte phenotype, enhancing involucrin and transglutaminase content &mdash; a documented differentiation effect beyond generic "growth support."
Substitutability across hormone classes
Triiodothyronine (thyroid receptor), hydrocortisone (glucocorticoid receptor), and progesterone (progesterone receptor) can each be substituted with other natural or synthetic agonists of the same receptor class &mdash; useful when a specific compound is unavailable or when species-specificity is required. Similarly, insulin and EGF (typically recombinant human) can be substituted with natural-source-purified polypeptides, proteins from other species, or alternative receptor agonists.
Empirical optimization as standard practice
Given the wide documented concentration ranges for nearly every component in this category, empirical titration on the specific cell type &mdash; adding, removing, or varying one component at a time and observing proliferation or phenotype effects &mdash; is the standard optimization methodology rather than adopting a single published formulation unmodified.
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<h2 data-section-id="1fljvas" data-start="5017" data-end="5042">Specifications context</h2>
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The breadth of documented concentration ranges for growth factors and hormones across published serum-free formulations reflects both genuine cell-type-dependent requirements and the iterative, empirically-driven history of serum-free media development across decades of published patents and protocols. As of 2026, N2, B27, and ITS pre-formulated supplement systems remain widely used as starting points that bundle insulin, transferrin, selenium, and (for N2/B27) additional components at validated ratios, reducing the need to source and titrate each component individually for many standard applications.
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Growth Factors & Hormones

Molecular Depot

Key Specifications

TGF alpha (Transforming growth factor-α), Human

TGF alpha (Transforming growth factor-α), Human, catalog B2018700, is a human transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α), with typical uses including EGFR activation and epithelial cell proliferation assays. Available from MBP, a registered vendor at leading US research institutions.