pHGF Porcine

Hepatocyte Promoting Growth Factor (HGF), also known as Hepatopoietin A or Scatter Factor, is a multifunctional growth factor that plays a crucial role in regulating cell growth, motility, and morphogenesis. It exerts a strong mitogenic effect on hepatocytes and primary epithelial cells . The porcine version of this growth factor is derived from pig liver and has been extensively studied for its applications in liver regeneration and tissue engineering.

HGF is a peptide-containing cytokine that acts on various epithelial cells. It is sequestered in its inactive form by heparin-like proteins and is widespread in the extracellular matrix of most tissues . Upon activation, HGF binds to its receptor, c-Met, which triggers a cascade of cellular responses including proliferation, migration, and survival. This makes HGF a key player in tissue regeneration and repair processes .

Porcine HGF has been utilized in various research and medical applications due to its ability to promote liver regeneration and support hepatocyte function. It is particularly valuable in the field of xenotransplantation, where porcine hepatocytes are used to study drug metabolism, hepatotoxicity, protein biosynthesis, and gene expression . The isolation and culture of primary porcine hepatocytes have been refined over the years, making them a reliable model for liver-related research .

The isolation of porcine HGF involves extracting the growth factor from pig liver using proprietary chromatographic techniques . The resulting product is a sterile, lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder that is highly pure, with a purity greater than 98% as determined by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) . The lyophilized powder is stable at room temperature for up to three weeks but should be stored desiccated below -18°C for long-term use .

Upon reconstitution, porcine HGF should be stored at 4°C for short-term use (2-7 days) and below -18°C for long-term storage . To prevent freeze-thaw cycles, it is recommended to add a carrier protein such as human serum albumin (HSA) or bovine serum albumin (BSA) to the solution .