Urocortin II (human) - ≥95%

Cat. No.: U275590

GRADE & PURITY ≥95%

Storage

Store at 2-8°C

Shipped In

Wet ice

Visão geral

Store at +4°C. The product can be stored for up to 12 months.

Specifications

Especificações e pureza

≥95%

Condições de armazenamento de armazenamento

Store at 2-8°C

Enviado em

Wet ice

Este produto requer transporte de cadeia fria. Serviços terrestres e outros serviços econômicos não estão disponíveis.

Pureza

≥95%

Propriedades químicas e físicas

• Solubilidade: Soluble in water

Application Protocols

No item-specific, vendor-validated protocols are provided for this SKU. The following procedures are general, literature-based examples to help design experiments with Urocortin II. Adjust to your platform.

• Example: cAMP accumulation assay (CRF2):

  1. Seed CRF2-expressing cells in 96-well plates (e.g., 10–30k cells/well) and incubate overnight.
  2. Prepare ligand dilutions in HBSS/HEPES buffer with 0.1% BSA; include vehicle controls.
  3. Add ligand to cells; incubate 15–30 min at 37°C.
  4. Quantify cAMP using HTRF or ELISA per kit instructions; fit concentration–response curves to derive EC50 and Emax.

• Example: Membrane binding competition:

  1. Prepare cell membranes expressing CRF2.
  2. Incubate membranes with a fixed concentration of radiolabeled ligand and increasing concentrations of Urocortin II for 1–2 h at 4–25°C.
  3. Separate bound/free (filtration or centrifugation) and count radioactivity; calculate Ki via Cheng–Prusoff.

• Stability and handling:

  • Prepare single-use aliquots after initial reconstitution. Keep on ice during setup; return stocks to recommended storage promptly. Use low-bind plasticware to minimize adsorption.

These are illustrative only and should be validated under your specific assay conditions.

Biological Roles

The following describes Urocortin II biology in general scientific literature; it does not constitute a specification for this item and does not imply any clinical use.

• Family and origin (literature):

  • Urocortin II (Ucn2) is an endogenous human peptide belonging to the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family. It is encoded by the UCN2 gene and is processed to a mature secreted peptide.

• Receptor pharmacology (literature):

  • Urocortin II is a high-affinity, selective agonist of CRF receptor type 2 (CRF2), with markedly lower activity at CRF1 relative to CRF2 in typical assay systems. Activation of CRF2 generally engages Gs signaling, elevating intracellular cAMP and driving downstream kinase/transcriptional responses.

• Physiological context (literature):

  • CRF-family peptides participate in stress-axis signaling, energy homeostasis, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal modulation, and neuroendocrine communication across central and peripheral tissues. Ucn2 expression and receptor localization patterns contribute to tissue-selective signaling effects.

• Structure–activity themes (literature):

  • The C-terminal region of CRF-family peptides is critical for receptor recognition and activation, while N-terminal residues can modulate potency and selectivity between CRF1 and CRF2.

Note: This product is for research use only. Any discussion of biological roles is provided to assist experimental design in receptor pharmacology and cell signaling studies and should not be interpreted as medical or diagnostic guidance.

Buffer Applications

This product is not a buffer reagent; it is a peptide research tool. However, buffer choice strongly affects peptide stability and assay performance. No item-specific buffer recommendations are provided; the following are general, literature-based considerations.

• Reconstitution and working buffers:

  • Sterile water or PBS is a practical starting point. If initial dissolution is slow, pre-wet with a minimal volume of water or 0.1% acetic acid and then adjust to the desired buffer and pH.
  • Good’s buffers (HEPES, MOPS) provide stable pH in the physiological range (pH ~6.8–7.6) and are compatible with most cell-based assays.

• Additives (if compatible with your assay):

  • Low concentrations of carrier protein (e.g., 0.1% BSA) or inert sugars (e.g., trehalose) can reduce adsorption to plastics and improve stability during storage or repeated handling. Confirm no interference with readouts.

• pH and ionic strength:

  • Maintain near-physiological pH and moderate ionic strength to preserve receptor integrity and peptide conformation. Avoid extreme pH or high salt unless method-specific.

• Sterility and filtration:

  • For cell-based studies, filter through 0.22 µm after complete dissolution. Use low-protein-binding membranes to minimize loss.

Always verify buffer composition and pH compatibility with your specific cells or assay platform before large-scale experiments.

Green Alternatives

For peptide handling, environmental impact is driven more by buffer systems and solvent use than by the peptide itself. No item-specific solvent requirements are provided; the following general, literature-based suggestions can help reduce environmental footprint.

• Prefer aqueous systems:

  • Use water or physiological buffers (PBS, HEPES) as primary solvents whenever possible. This minimizes hazardous solvent waste.

• Limit organic co-solvents:

  • If DMSO is needed to initiate dissolution, keep final concentrations as low as practical (e.g., ≤1–5% v/v). Avoid chlorinated solvents entirely.

• Buffer selection:

  • Choose Good’s buffers (e.g., HEPES, MOPS) with favorable environmental and safety profiles when compatible with your assays. Avoid buffers that require extreme pH or contain heavy metals.

• Packaging and workflow:

  • Prepare small, single-use aliquots to reduce freeze–thaw cycles and product loss, improving overall efficiency and decreasing repeated shipments.

• Comparison (general):

  • Aqueous buffers vs organic solvents: aqueous media are safer, lower VOC, and generally compatible with peptide bioassays; organic solvents may assist initial dissolution but increase waste handling burden.

These are general guidelines. Validate any change in solvent or buffer in your specific assay to ensure receptor function and peptide stability are maintained.

Pharmaceutical Uses

No pharmaceutical or clinical uses are claimed or supported for this catalog item. It is supplied strictly for research use only.

• Research/formulation context (general):

  • Peptides like Urocortin II are frequently used as reference standards, positive controls, or tool compounds in discovery-stage receptor pharmacology and signaling studies.
  • In preclinical methodology development, small-scale formulation screening (buffer type, pH, excipients) may be performed to optimize stability for in vitro assays.

• Regulatory status:

  • No pharmacopeial monograph or clinical-grade designation is provided for this item. It is not intended for human or veterinary administration and should not be used in diagnostic procedures.

• Practical guidance:

  • If you require GMP-grade or clinical-grade material, this research-grade product is not suitable; consult appropriate regulated suppliers. For method development, document lot-specific purity/identity from the CoA and conduct in-house confirmatory analyses where required.

Physical Properties

Only limited item-specific physical data are provided for this peptide.

• Item-specific properties:

  • Appearance: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
  • Molecular weight: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
  • Solubility: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
  • Other properties (mp, bp, density, pKa, logP, refractive index): Not applicable/typically not specified for peptides; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet if needed.

• General literature guidance for peptides like Urocortin II:

  • State/form: Usually supplied lyophilized or as a frozen solution; readily hydrated in aqueous buffers.
  • Solubility: Peptides of this class are generally water-soluble; initial dissolution in sterile water, PBS, or dilute acetic acid (e.g., 0.1% v/v) is commonly effective. If needed, minimal DMSO can serve as a co-solvent before dilution into buffer (literature).
  • Isoelectric point and charge: Determined by sequence; CRF-family peptides often carry net negative-to-neutral charge at physiological pH due to acidic residues (literature). Exact pI for this specific item is not provided.
  • Stability: Peptides are sensitive to proteolysis and repeated freeze–thaw; aliquoting and storage at low temperature are standard practice (literature).

Important: Treat any numerical property requirements for your application as method-specific and verify with the product’s CoA or by in-house characterization (HPLC, MS, amino acid analysis) before critical use.

Quality and Grades

Grade/purity are not specified for this item in the current listing. Consult the CoA/Spec Sheet for lot-specific analytical details.

• Item-specific quality information:

  • Grade/purity: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
  • Stabilizers, counter-ions, or additives: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

• How peptide quality is typically defined (general literature):

  • Purity by analytical HPLC (% area) and identity by high-resolution MS and peptide mapping (MS/MS). Additional tests can include amino acid analysis, residual solvents, water content (Karl Fischer), TFA/acetate counter-ion content, and microbial/bioburden assays.
  • Common commercial grades: “Crude,” “Desalted,” and “≥95% (HPLC)” or higher. Pharmacopoeial grades are not applicable here, as this product is for research use only.

• Stabilizer and salt-form considerations:

  • Counter-ions (e.g., TFA−, acetate−) and residual salts/buffers can influence solubility, pH upon reconstitution, and biological assay outcomes. If your assay is sensitive, consider brief buffer exchange (e.g., spin desalting) after reconstitution.

• Practical guidance:

  • For quantitative bioassays, verify purity and concentration in-house when possible (UV peptide bonds at 214–220 nm; tyrosine/tryptophan, if present, at 280 nm). Align your acceptance criteria with the CoA before method validation.

Reaction and Applications

This product is a bioactive peptide used as a research tool rather than a classical small-molecule reagent for synthetic reactions. Accordingly, “applications” here refer to biochemical and cellular assay use. Item-specific validated uses are not listed; the following are literature-based applications for Urocortin II.

• Receptor pharmacology (literature):

  • Urocortin II is a selective agonist for the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 2 (CRF2). It is widely used to probe CRF2-mediated signaling pathways in recombinant cell lines and native systems.

• Assay modalities (literature):

  • Gs-coupled signaling: cAMP accumulation assays (HTRF, ELISA, or luciferase reporters).
  • Calcium signaling: if engineered coupling permits, use fluorescent calcium indicators (Fluo-4, GCaMP).
  • Binding assays: radioligand displacement or fluorescent ligand binding to quantify affinity/selectivity versus CRF1.

• Systems biology and physiology studies (literature):

  • Mapping CRF-family peptide structure–activity relationships (SAR) and receptor subtype discrimination.
  • Investigating downstream effectors (PKA/CREB) and gene expression readouts.

• Practical notes:

  • Maintain peptide integrity by avoiding repeated freeze–thaw; prepare single-use aliquots.
  • Include proper vehicle controls (buffer or low % DMSO). Titrate across sub-nanomolar to micromolar ranges as appropriate for your assay format and receptor expression level.

All uses are for research purposes only.

Reaction Conditions

This section provides general, literature-based assay conditions for Urocortin II as a CRF2 agonist; they are not item-specific specifications. Optimize locally for your system.

• Cell-based cAMP assays (literature):

  • System: HEK293 or CHO cells stably expressing human CRF2.
  • Buffer: HBSS or PBS with 0.1% BSA; HEPES 20 mM, pH 7.4.
  • Agonist range: Typical titrations span ~0.1 nM to 1 µM to capture full concentration–response curves; actual EC50 falls in the low-nanomolar range in many reports, but varies with receptor density and assay design.
  • Readout: HTRF cAMP, ELISA, or CRE-luciferase after 15–45 min stimulation at 37°C.

• Binding assays (literature):

  • Competition against a radiolabeled CRF-family tracer at 4°C or room temperature in membrane preparations. Incubation 60–120 min; nonspecific binding defined with excess unlabeled ligand.

• Calcium/kinase signaling (literature):

  • If receptor coupling is engineered, monitor Ca2+ flux with Fluo-4 or downstream pCREB/ERK by Western blot after defined stimulation windows (5–30 min).

• General handling:

  • Prepare fresh dilutions in assay buffer; avoid more than one freeze–thaw of stock solutions. Include vehicle controls matching any co-solvent used.

Note: Exact concentrations and timing should be established empirically for each cell line and detection platform.

Safety and Handling

Item-specific GHS information has not been provided for this catalog entry. Always consult the SDS for authoritative safety guidance.

• Item-specific hazard data:

  • GHS classification: Not specified for this item; refer to SDS.
  • Signal word / H-statements / pictograms: Not specified for this item; refer to SDS.

• General laboratory precautions for peptides:

  • Use appropriate PPE: lab coat, gloves, and safety glasses. Handle powders and lyophilized materials in a clean area to avoid aerosolization.
  • Avoid inhalation, ingestion, and skin/eye contact. Utilize containment (weighing funnel/enclosure) during aliquoting.
  • Prevent biological degradation: avoid microbial contamination and protease exposure; use sterile buffers, filtered solutions, and clean tools.
  • Incompatibilities: Strong oxidizers and extreme pH can degrade peptides; metal ions may catalyze oxidation of sensitive residues (e.g., Met, Trp) in some sequences (general literature).

• First-aid overview (general):

  • Skin/eye contact: Rinse with plenty of water; remove contaminated clothing; seek medical attention if irritation persists.
  • Inhalation: Move to fresh air; assist breathing if necessary; seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
  • Ingestion: Rinse mouth; do not induce vomiting; seek medical attention.

This product is for research use only. Defer to the SDS and institutional safety policies for risk assessment, handling, and disposal procedures.

Solvent Selection

As a peptide, Urocortin II (human) is typically handled in aqueous media. Item-specific solubility is not provided; the following are general, literature-based practices for CRF-family peptides.

• Primary solvents/buffers:

  • Water, PBS, or HEPES-buffered saline are common. Initial wetting with a small volume of sterile water, followed by buffer dilution, often improves dissolution.
  • For challenging dissolution: add minimal DMSO (e.g., ≤5–10% v/v final) or a drop of dilute acetic acid (e.g., 0.1% v/v) before bringing to volume with buffer (literature). Verify biological compatibility.

• Polarity and miscibility:

  • Highly polar, hydrophilic macromolecule; miscible with aqueous systems. DMSO is fully miscible with water and can serve as a co-solvent if required.

• Practical tips:

  • Filter-sterilize through 0.22 µm if sterility is required and the peptide is fully dissolved. Avoid protein-binding filters if recovery is a concern; pre-rinse filters.
  • Minimize adsorption losses by using low-bind tubes and adding inert carrier (e.g., 0.1% BSA) only if compatible with the assay.

• Quick comparison (literature):

  • Water/PBS: maximal biological compatibility; may require gentle agitation to dissolve.
  • Dilute acetic acid: enhances solubility for basic residues; adjust pH after dissolution.
  • DMSO: useful co-solvent for difficult cases; keep final % low to maintain receptor/assay performance.

Storage and Reconstitution

Follow the item-specific storage instruction and shipment condition provided below; additional practices are general, literature-based recommendations for peptides.

• Item-specific instructions:

  • Storage Conditions: Store at 2–8°C.
  • Shipped In: Wet ice.

• General peptide handling (literature guidance):

  • Upon receipt, allow the container to equilibrate to room temperature in a desiccator before opening to prevent moisture condensation (if lyophilized).
  • For long-term storage, many peptides are kept at −20°C or below, desiccated and protected from light; however, this is not specified for this item. If deviating from the 2–8°C instruction, validate stability in-house.

• Reconstitution (not item-specific):

  • Use sterile water as an initial solvent; if needed, add a small amount of dilute acetic acid or DMSO to aid dissolution, then dilute with buffer (PBS or HEPES, pH ~7.2–7.4).
  • Filter sterilize (0.22 µm) after complete dissolution for cell-based assays. Prepare single-use aliquots to avoid repeated freeze–thaw cycles.

• Stability notes:

  • Avoid protease contamination; work on ice and use clean, sterile tools. Minimize exposure to elevated temperature and extreme pH.

Refer to the CoA/Spec Sheet for any lot-specific stability data, excipients, or recommended reconstitution conditions. This product is for research use only.

Structure and Identity

Urocortin II (human) is a peptide research reagent from the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family. Item-specific identifiers have not been provided for this catalog entry; general structural context is offered below for orientation.

• Item-specific identifiers (this lot):

  • Molecular formula: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
  • Molecular weight: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
  • SMILES: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
  • InChIKey: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

• Structural features (general literature description):

  • Urocortin II is a short, linear peptide belonging to the CRF neuropeptide family and is the human ortholog of “stresscopin-related peptide.”
  • Typical length reported in literature: ~38 amino acids (no disulfide bridge; sequence-specific motifs in the C-terminal region are important for receptor binding).
  • Functional group landscape: multiple backbone amides, side-chain acidic (Asp/Glu) and basic (Lys/Arg/His) residues, and polar residues conducive to aqueous solubility.
  • 2D structural description: a linear polypeptide chain with an amide backbone and side chains projecting alternately; C-terminal residues typically contribute most to CRF receptor recognition; overall amphipathic character supports receptor interaction and aqueous handling.

• Registry and synonyms (literature):

  • Also known as Ucn2; stresscopin-related peptide; a selective endogenous agonist of CRF2 receptors (literature).

Note: Exact sequence, modifications (if any), and analytical identifiers for this specific catalog item are not disclosed here; consult the certificate of analysis (CoA) for definitive identity data.

Synthetic Utility

As a bioactive peptide ligand, Urocortin II is not typically employed as a reagent for synthetic organic transformations. Nevertheless, it has utility within chemical biology, peptide chemistry, and assay development. The points below are general, literature-based considerations rather than product-specific specifications.

• Chemical biology applications:

  • Serves as a tool ligand to interrogate CRF2 signaling. Can be used to benchmark potency/selectivity of novel peptide or peptidomimetic analogs.

• Peptide chemistry context:

  • Provides a native sequence template for structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies, truncations, alanine scans, and backbone/side-chain modifications (e.g., D-amino acid substitutions, lactam bridges) to modulate receptor selectivity and stability.
  • Conjugation handles: primary amines (N-terminus, Lys side chains) and carboxylates (Asp/Glu, C-terminus) can be leveraged for labeling with fluorophores, biotin, or crosslinkers for binding and trafficking studies.

• Analytical development:

  • Useful as a standard for retention time and MS method development in LC–MS peptide workflows. Can support calibration of peptide assays (e.g., cAMP response curves) when reference potency is established in-house.

If your objective is synthetic organic chemistry, consider this product out-of-scope. For chemical biology and peptide methodology development, it is a relevant and versatile reference ligand.

Target Specificity

This product is a peptide ligand, not an antibody; classical antibody specificity metadata (clone, isotype, species reactivity) do not apply. The following summarizes literature-based target interactions relevant to experimental design.

• Primary target (literature):

  • Corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type 2 (CRF2). Urocortin II is reported to be a selective, high-affinity agonist at CRF2, with substantially lower potency at CRF1 under standard assay conditions.

• Receptor pharmacology notes (literature):

  • CRF2 is a class B GPCR. Activation generally stimulates Gs/cAMP signaling, though cellular context may permit coupling to additional pathways.
  • Selectivity over CRF1 aids in dissecting receptor-subtype contributions in systems expressing both receptors.

• Off-target considerations:

  • As a native peptide, broad off-target enzyme inhibition is not expected; however, peptide stability, adsorption, and degradation can confound apparent potency. Incorporate protease inhibitors only if compatible with the biology under study and validated not to alter signaling.

For definitive binding constants and selectivity in your system, generate side-by-side controls with CRF1/CRF2 reference ligands and confirm receptor expression by orthogonal methods (qPCR, immunoblot for receptor-tag, or radioligand binding).

Perguntas frequentes

What is the purity of this product?

This product is supplied at ≥95% purity (chemical assay). Lot-specific values are stated on the Certificate of Analysis.

How should this product be stored?

Store at 2–8 °C. Refrigerated storage is required to maintain the specified shelf life.

How is this product shipped?

This product ships chilled on wet ice. Unpack on arrival and transfer it to the storage condition stated above.

What documentation is provided?

Available product documentation, including Certificates of Analysis (COA), Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and specification sheets, is shown in the product document area. Document availability and access follow the current site policy.