Transforming growth factor betas (TGF Betas) mediate many cell-cell interactions that occur during embryonic development. Three TGF Betas have been identified in mammals. TGF Beta 1, TGF Beta 2 and TGF Beta 3 are each synthesized as precursor proteins that are very similar in that each is cleaved to yield a 112 amino acid polypeptide that remains associated with the latent portion of the molecule.
The TGF-b 1 (177-391 a.a.) is purified by standard chromatographic techniques and shows a 51 kDa band on SDS-PAGE (including GST tag).