Bio-Bits - Sonic Hedgehog and New Recombinant Proteins


BioLegend provides a diverse range of recombinant proteins in carrier-free and animal-free formats. Among our new recombinants, we focus on Sonic Hedgehog (Shh), now available in mouse and human recombinant proteins. Shh is involved in embryo development, T cell development, and also regulates neural and hematopoietic stem cell fate. Shimojo et al. investigated the stimulation of the Shh pathway as a means of inducing motor neuron differentiation in a quicker manner. Faster neuron cell generation would be a boon for those with neurological disorders and motor neuron dysfunction.

Adapted from Shimojo D.et al. 2015. Mol. Brain.8:79. PubMed
On average, generating motor neurons from pluripotent stem cells takes nearly 30 days. Shimojo et al. wanted a faster way of obtaining motor neurons, so they treated the stem cells with GSK3β and SMAD inhibitors, which led to the activation of Wnt and β-catenin pathways, setting the groundwork for neural cell induction. These neural stem/progenitor cells then upregulate expression of factors such as PAX6, SOX1, OLIG2, and NGN2. After this initial step, the cells are then given retinoic acid and purmorphamine, which helps to activate the Sonic Hedgehog pathway. This leads to the development of motor neurons, as denoted by their expression of HB9 and ISL-1. Shimojo et al. believe this new method generates a higher purity of motor neurons in a rapid fashion (typically 2 weeks) and is reproducible across several pluripotent stem cell lines.

Sonic Hedgehog Recombinant Proteins

Description
Recombinant Human Sonic Hedgehog (carrier-free)
Recombinant Mouse Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) (Cys25-Gly198) (carrier-free)
Recombinant Mouse Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) (Cys25/(Ile-Ile)-Gly198) (carrier-free)