Leptin Human, His

Leptin is approximately 16 kDa in mass and is a single, non-glycosylated polypeptide chain. The recombinant form of human leptin, tagged with a histidine (His) tag, is produced in Escherichia coli (E. coli) using recombinant DNA technology . The His tag, which is about 4 kDa, facilitates the purification process through affinity chromatography. The total molecular mass of the recombinant leptin, including the His tag, is approximately 19 kDa .

Leptin’s primary function is to regulate energy balance by inhibiting hunger, which in turn diminishes fat storage in adipocytes. It achieves this by binding to leptin receptors, which are highly expressed in areas of the hypothalamus known to be important in regulating body weight. Leptin also plays a role in metabolism and reproductive function .

Recombinant human leptin with a His tag is used in various research applications, including:

1. Positive control for Western blot: It serves as a standard to ensure the accuracy of Western blot experiments.
2. Antibody production: It is used to generate antibodies for research and diagnostic purposes.
3. Protein assays: It is utilized in assays to study protein interactions and functions .

Lyophilized leptin is stable at room temperature but should be stored desiccated below 0°C. Once reconstituted, it is best stored refrigerated at 4°C. It is important to avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles to maintain the protein’s integrity .