Thrombopoietin (TPO), also known as c-Mpl ligand, MGDF and THOP, is a glycoprotein hormone belonging to the EPO/TPO family. It is expressed mainly in the liver, kidney and skeletal muscle. TPO binds and signals through c-Mpl receptor. It stimulates the proliferation and maturation of megakaryocytes from their committed progenitor cells, and it regulates the production and circulation of platelets. TPO has also been reported to promote apoptosis of hypoxia-sensitized neurons and to inhibit neuronal differentiation.
Recombinant Rat Thrombopoietin(TPO), His, produced in CHO cells is a polypeptide chain containing 174 amino acids. A fully biologically active molecule, rrTPO has a molecular mass of 22 kDa analyzed by reducing SDS-PAGE and is obtained by chromatographic techniques at ExCell Bio.