A practical reference on actin binding: what it is, how it behaves, what the literature reports, and where the honest uncertainties sit.
This page was last updated on 2026-07-09 and is reviewed periodically as new material appears.
TB-500 is a synthetic seven-amino-acid peptide with the sequence LKKTETQ, corresponding to residues 17 through 23 of the protein thymosin beta-4. The N-terminus is typically acetylated in the described form, giving a monoisotopic mass near 888.5 Da and an average mass of about 889 Da. The designation TB-500 is a catalogue label rather than a formal chemical name, and the same sequence appears in the literature under several alternative abbreviations. It is handled as a research reagent rather than a pharmaceutical product.
Thymosin beta-4 is a 43-residue actin-binding protein found in most mammalian cell types, where it participates in cytoskeletal regulation and cell migration. TB-500 represents only a short fragment of that protein and does not include the remaining residues. Whether the isolated fragment reproduces the full range of activities reported for the intact protein remains an open question. Researchers commonly treat the two as related but distinct entities when comparing results.
The compound is most often distributed as a lyophilized powder, appearing white to off-white and forming a loose cake or fluffy solid. It is hygroscopic to some degree, so brief exposure to humid air can add water weight and complicate weighing. The peptide dissolves readily in water and in neutral aqueous buffers, and aqueous solubility is generally described as high, well above the concentrations used in typical assays. Some polar organic solvents are also usable, which matters when a concentrated stock is prepared before dilution into buffer.
Storage recommendations center on keeping the dry powder cold, dry, and dark. A freezer at -20 degrees Celsius or below is conventional, and desiccant is often included to limit moisture uptake. Once dissolved, the peptide is less stable, and solutions are typically kept frozen and thawed only once. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles are a common source of losses because they promote aggregation and adsorption to container surfaces. Working aliquots are therefore prepared in advance, and glass or low-binding plastic is usually preferred over ordinary laboratory plastic.
Identity and purity are assessed with a small set of standard techniques. Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography gives a purity estimate from peak area, usually recorded at 214 or 220 nanometers, where the peptide bond absorbs. Mass spectrometry confirms the expected molecular mass and can reveal truncated or oxidized species. Amino acid analysis or tandem mass spectrometry sequencing can verify the sequence itself. Additional quality attributes include water content, residual trifluoroacetic acid carried over from purification, and endotoxin where the material is intended for biological work.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular formula | C38H68N10O14 | Acetylated heptapeptide form |
| Monoisotopic mass | 888.5 Da | Average mass about 889 Da |
| Appearance | White to off-white solid | Usually supplied as lyophilised powder |
| Solubility class | Highly water soluble | Also dissolves in aqueous buffers |
| Common synonyms | Tbeta4 fragment, thymosin beta-4 (17-23) | Refer to the same sequence |
TB-500 is a shorthand label used in supplier catalogs and online discussion for a short synthetic peptide described as a fragment of thymosin beta-4. Most product listings present it as the N-terminally acetylated heptapeptide Ac-LKKTETQ, a sequence corresponding to the actin-binding region of the parent protein. The name is not a formal chemical designation and does not appear in standard nomenclature systems. Because labeling practices vary between vendors, two products sold under the same name may not contain the same molecule, and the stated sequence should be treated as a claim rather than a fixed definition.
Thymosin beta-4 is a naturally occurring protein of 43 amino acids found in most mammalian cells, where it binds actin monomers and influences filament dynamics. It was first isolated from thymus tissue in the early 1980s, and its actin-binding activity was later mapped to a short region near the N-terminus. The synthetic fragment sold as TB-500 was designed to reproduce that region rather than the full protein. Whether a short fragment reproduces the behavior of the intact molecule remains an open question, since the parent protein carries additional structural elements outside the binding region.
TB-500 is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Ac-LKKTETQ. It corresponds to a short N-terminal region of thymosin beta-4, a 43-amino-acid protein found in many cell types. The fragment contains an actin-binding motif, which is one reason it appears in laboratory studies of cell migration and cytoskeletal dynamics. TB-500 is not the full-length protein and is produced as a research chemical rather than an approved therapeutic agent. Its molecular weight is approximately 889 Da.
Several names appear in scientific and commercial contexts for this peptide. The label TB-500 is informal and does not follow standard biochemical nomenclature. Research articles more often describe the compound as a thymosin beta-4 fragment, Tβ4 fragment, or by its sequence Ac-LKKTETQ. Confusing TB-500 with full-length thymosin beta-4 can lead to incorrect assumptions about activity because the fragment lacks the remaining residues of the parent protein. The relationship between fragment and parent protein remains an active area of study.
Biological interest in this peptide centers on its relationship to actin dynamics. Thymosin beta-4 binds monomeric actin through an LKKTET motif, and a short sequence carrying that motif can compete with other actin-binding proteins in cell-free preparations. Investigators propose that such competition shifts the balance between filament assembly and disassembly, which in turn affects how readily a cell extends protrusions and migrates. Most of the supporting observations come from cultured cells and purified protein systems rather than from intact organisms.
Animal work has examined the peptide in models of cardiac injury, skin wounding, and corneal repair, with reported outcomes covering cell migration, inflammatory cell influx, and tissue remodeling. Several of those experiments used the full-length protein or longer fragments instead of the seven-residue sequence, which makes direct comparison between reports difficult. Results are generally described as tissue-dependent, and effect sizes vary considerably across laboratories. Independent replication is uneven, so the overall picture is incomplete rather than settled.
TB-500 is a research peptide whose sequence matches residues 17 to 23 of thymosin beta-4, a 43-residue protein present in most mammalian cells. The chain is seven amino acids long, written as LKKTETQ, and is normally supplied with an acetyl group on the N-terminus. Suppliers list it as a lyophilised powder under the code name TB-500, and the same sequence appears elsewhere in catalogues as the thymosin beta-4 actin-binding fragment. The label is commercial rather than systematic, so no single authority fixes exactly what TB-500 denotes.
Thymosin beta-4 was isolated from calf thymus in the early 1980s and later characterised as an abundant intracellular actin-sequestering protein. Interest in short synthetic fragments grew once the actin-binding motif had been mapped to the middle of the sequence. TB-500 came out of that line of work as a truncated analogue rather than a natural isolate, and it is now sold mainly to laboratories. Published studies on the fragment have been largely in vitro or in animal models, and controlled human trials remain sparse, so claims about effects in people rest on extrapolation.
Meanwhile, Saddar Police, CTD, Elite Force and Quick Response Force destroyed militant hideouts during an operation near the Wanda Painda Khan area in Lakki Marwat District. On 8 June 2026, two militants were killed in a military operation in Garah Madah area of Daraban Tehsil. On 9 June 2026, militants attacked a Pakistani border post in Hassankhel killing six Frontier Constabulary personnel and wounding four, while three personnel were captured by the militants. A police constable was also kidnapped and a girls school was destroyed by militants in Wana. On 10 June 2026, Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Khost, Kunar and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan, with Taliban claiming that 13 civilians, including 11 children, a woman, and an elderly man had been killed and 14 wounded in these airstrikes. At least 9 people were killed after a house in Spera district was struck. In Barmal, 3 children were killed. Pakistan, however claimed that 26 TTP militants were killed in these airstrikes. Meanwhile, in Darga Saheedan area of Karak District, eight police personnel were wounded in an ambush by insurgents. On 11 June, a police constable was killed in an attack in North Waziristan and another was killed the following day. On June 11, a Government Middle School was blown up by militants in Lakki Marwat District. A TTP commander Abu Bakr and "several" militants linked to him were killed in Pakistani airstrikes on hideouts in Bannu District. A suicide bomber was killed and six TTP insurgents were killed in skirmishes with Pakistani forces in Kurram District.
Anatomical model – Three-dimensional representation of human or animal anatomy Body image – Aesthetic perception of one's own body Cell physiology – Study of cell activity Comparative anatomy – Study of similarities and differences in the anatomy of different species Comparative physiology – Study of the diversity of functional characteristics of organisms Development of the human body Glossary of medicine Human physical appearance – Look, outward phenotype Medicine – Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of illness Organ system Outline of human anatomy The Birth of the Clinic: An Archaeology of Medical Perception
==== Combination drugs ==== Butalbital/acetaminophen (Butapap) – combination of butalbital (GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulator and barbiturate) and acetaminophen (analgesic) Ergotamine/caffeine (Cafergot) – combination of ergotamine (non-selective monoamine receptor modulator and ergoline) and caffeine (adenosine receptor antagonist) Ergotamine/chlorcyclizine/caffeine (Anervan) – combination of ergotamine (non-selective monoamine receptor modulator and ergoline), chlorcyclizine (antihistamine and other actions), and caffeine (adenosine receptor antagonist) Meloxicam/rizatriptan (AXS-07; Symbravo) – combination of meloxicam (COX inhibitor/NSAID) and rizatriptan (triptan) [139] Naproxen sodium/sumatriptan (MT-400; SumaRT/Nap; Suvexx; Trexima; Treximet) – combination of naproxen (COX inhibitor/NSAID) and sumatriptan (triptan) – migraine [140] Paracetamol/codeine/buclizine (Migraleve Yellow) – combination of paracetamol (analgesic) and codeine (opioid) Paracetamol/codeine/buclizine (Migraleve Pink) – combination of paracetamol (analgesic), codeine (opioid), and buclizine (antihistamine and other actions) Paracetamol/dichloralphenazone/isometheptene (Amidrine) – combination of paracetamol (analgesic), dichloralphenazone (phenazone (COX inhibitor/NSAID) and chloral hydrate (GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulator)), and isometheptene (adrenergic receptor agonist) Paracetamol/metoclopramide (Paramax) – combination of paracetamol (analgesic) and metoclopramide (various actions) Sumatriptan/naproxen (Treximet) – combination of sumatriptan (triptan) and naproxen (COX inhibitor/NSAID)
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== Absorption === Vitamin K is absorbed through the jejunum and ileum in the small intestine. The process requires bile and pancreatic juices. Estimates for absorption are on the order of 80% for vitamin K1 in its free form (as a dietary supplement) but much lower when present in foods. For example, the absorption of vitamin K from kale and spinach – foods identified as having a high vitamin K content – are on the order of 4% to 17% regardless of whether raw or cooked. Less information is available for absorption of vitamin K2 from foods. The intestinal membrane protein Niemann–Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) mediates cholesterol absorption. Animal studies show that it also factors into absorption of vitamins E and K1. The same study predicts potential interaction between SR-BI and CD36 proteins as well. The drug ezetimibe inhibits NPC1L1 causing a reduction in cholesterol absorption in humans, and in animal studies, also reduces vitamin E and vitamin K1 absorption. An expected consequence would be that administration of ezetimibe to people who take warfarin (a vitamin K antagonist) would potentiate the warfarin effect. This has been confirmed in humans.
In 2001, the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium complex was expanded with the addition of the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Meymandi Concert Hall, Fletcher Opera Theater, Kennedy Theatre, Betty Ray McCain Gallery and Lichtin Plaza. Fayetteville Street reopened to vehicular traffic in 2006. A variety of downtown building projects began around this time including the 34-story RBC Bank Tower, multiple condominium projects and several new restaurants. Additional skyscrapers are in the proposal/planning phase. The Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup the same year, which was North Carolina's first professional sports championship. With the opening of parts of I-540 from 2005 to 2007, a new 70 mi (110 km) loop around Wake County, traffic congestion eased somewhat in the North Raleigh area. Completion of the entire loop is expected to take another 15 years. In 2008, the city's Fayetteville Street Historic District joined the National Register of Historic Places. In September 2010, Raleigh hosted the inaugural Hopscotch Music Festival. Raleigh hosted the 2011 National Hockey League All-Star Game. In April 2011, a devastating EF-3 tornado hit Raleigh, and many other tornadoes touched down in the state (ultimately the largest, but not the strongest outbreak to ever hit the state), killing 24 people. The tornado tracked northeast through parts of downtown, East Central Raleigh and Northeast Raleigh and produced $115 million in damages in Wake County. There were 4 fatalities in the city.
== Preparation and structure == The parent compound can be prepared by heating urea at 150 °C for ~6 hours until it gets slightly cloudy, then recrystallizing from water. After that, it can be recrystallized repeatedly from 2% sodium hydroxide solution and water to finally get base-free crystalline needles of the monohydrate which are free of cyanuric acid. While heating, a lot of ammonia is expelled:
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
water of crystallization Also water of hydration. Water molecules that are present inside crystals. Upon crystallization from water or aqueous solutions, many compounds incorporate water in the interstices of their crystalline frameworks; the water molecules are typically present in a stoichiometric ratio and may interact to varying degrees with the atoms of the crystal.
Moreover, a supporting piece of evidence—the result that all proteins contain an integer multiple of 288 amino-acid residues—was likewise shown to be incorrect in 1939. Wrinch replied to the steric-clash, free-energy, chemical and residue-number criticisms of the cyclol model. On steric clashes, she noted that small deformations of the bond angles and bond lengths would allow these steric clashes to be relieved, or at least reduced to a reasonable level. She noted that distances between non-bonded groups within a single molecule can be shorter than expected from their van der Waals radii, e.g., the 2.93 Å distance between methyl groups in hexamethylbenzene. Regarding the free-energy penalty for the cyclol reaction, Wrinch disagreed with Pauling's calculations and stated that too little was known of intramolecular energies to rule out the cyclol model on that basis alone. In reply to the chemical criticisms, Wrinch suggested that the model compounds and simple bimolecular reactions studied need not pertain to the cyclol model, and that steric hindrance may have prevented the surface hydroxyl groups from reacting. On the residue-number criticism, Wrinch extended her model to allow for other numbers of residues. In particular, she produced a "minimal" closed cyclol of only 48 residues, and, on that (incorrect) basis, may have been the first to suggest that the insulin monomer had a molecular weight of roughly 6000 Da.
These trans-containing isomers separate chromatographically from cis-containing isomers and have the tendency to co-elute with each other and, in some cases, with select C20:1 isomers. GC-VUV is not only able to differentiate the C18:3 FAME variants, but is also capable of telling cis isomers apart from trans isomers. Degrees of unsaturation such as C20:1 vs. C18:3 can additionally be distinguished. Previous work has demonstrated how distinct VUV spectra enable straightforward deconvolution and accurate quantitation of cis and trans FAME isomers.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
No. TB-500 is a short synthetic peptide matching residues 17 to 23 of thymosin beta-4, while the parent protein contains 43 residues. The fragment lacks the rest of the protein sequence, so the two are related but not identical.
It consists of leucine, lysine, lysine, threonine, glutamic acid, threonine, and glutamine in that order. The N-terminal leucine is usually acetylated in the forms described in catalogues.
Controlled human data is limited, and most published findings come from cell culture or animal work. This makes it difficult to state clinical effects with confidence.
Short transit at ambient temperature is generally tolerated, but long-term storage at room temperature is not recommended. Heat, moisture, and light all accelerate degradation. Cold, dry, dark storage is the conventional choice.