Thymosin Alpha-1
Thymosin alpha-1 is a peptide of 28 amino acids, first isolated from the thymus, a gland in the chest.
Where it came from
Thymosin alpha-1 was isolated and decoded in 1977 by Allan Goldstein, Teresa Low and colleagues at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, from an extract of calf thymus, a gland in the chest.
Goldstein had first described the thymosin family in the 1960s with Abraham White at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.
Worth knowing
- It is a chain of 28 amino acids, with a small chemical cap on its first one.
- It turned out to be cut from the front end of a larger natural protein, 113 amino acids long, called prothymosin alpha.
- "Thymosin" comes from the thymus, where it was found. The lab-made version also has an official generic name, thymalfasin.
- The same Goldstein lab later decoded thymosin beta-4, the parent of TB-500.
At a glance
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Chain length | 28 amino acids, capped at one end |
| Chemical formula | C129H215N33O55 |
| Weight of one molecule | 3108.3 g/mol |
| Form | Freeze-dried powder |
| Storage | Sealed in a freezer at -20 °C, away from light |
Weight is shown in grams per mole (g/mol), the standard unit chemists use. It's the number a lab checks a sample against to confirm it's the right compound.
Lab reports
Every batch (called a lot) of Thymosin Alpha-1 is tested by an independent lab. The report shows the lab, the test date, the lot number, how pure the sample is and how much is in the vial. Find them on the Certificates of Analysis page. New to lab reports? Start with How to read a peptide lab report.
The weight above is for the compound on its own. A report may show a slightly higher figure, because the powder also carries a little salt left from manufacturing. Peptide salt forms explains why.
Storage
Keep the vial sealed in a freezer at -20 °C, away from light, and let it warm to room temperature before opening so moisture doesn't get in. More in Storing lyophilized (freeze-dried) peptides in the lab and the Research handling guidelines.
For research use only. Not for human or veterinary use.