Human FGF-2 FlowCytomix Simplex by eBioscience

This FlowCytomix Simplex Kit is designed for the measurement of Human FGF-2 (FGF basic) in an immunoassay analyzed on a flow cytometer. Together with the FlowCytomix Human Basic Kit (cat. BMS8420FF), this kit can be used to detect FGF-2 alone or can be multiplexed with other Simplex Kits to measure a variety of analytes. This kit contains bead population B4 .Fibroblast Growth Factor basic (FGFb, also known as FGF-2) is a member of the FGF family, a highly conserved family of 16-34 kDa heparin-binding proteins of the extracellular matrix (ECM) that facilitate receptor tyrosine kinase mediated activity. FGFb exists in several isoforms, and although they are equally active, only the 18 kDa form is secreted while the 23 kDa form localizes to the nucleus. They share four common tyrosine kinase receptors, FGFR 1-4, and require the binding of a second surface protein, the ubiquitously expressed heparan sulfate proteoglycan, in order to fully activate these receptors. FGFb expression has been detected in several cell types, including fibroblasts, macrophages, endothelial cells, epithelial cells, and neurons. It lacks the signal sequence peptide necessary for the ER/Golgi pathway, indicating that secretion occurs via an alternate pathway. FGFb functions through three signal transduction pathways, the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway, and the protein kinase C (PKC) pathway. FGF family members affect the proliferation, differentiation, mobility, and survival of several cell types, including fibroblasts, osteoblasts, smooth muscle cells, and neuroblasts. High concentrations are found in the brain, hypothalamus, retina, adrenal gland, thymus, corpus luteum, kidney, placenta and various tumors. These proteins are particularly important in embryonic development (3) as triggers of neurogenesis, angiogenesis wound healing, tumor growth and photoreceptor survival in the eye. FGFb is chemotactic and mitogenic for fibroblasts, endothelial cells and keratinocytes. FGFb has most recently been studied for its ability to maintain the proliferation of embryonic stem cell cultures in an undifferentiated state. Some members of the family, including FGFb, remain active during adulthood and play a role in bone formation and tissue repair.