TB-500 (Thymosin β4 fragment)
TB-500 Half-Life and Handling Data
Published pharmacokinetic data specific to the TB-500 fragment is limited. Full-length Thymosin Beta-4 is cleared within hours after administration in animal studies. Precise half-life values depend on the exact fragment definition and administration route used.
Key facts
- PK data
- Limited for TB-500 fragment specifically
- Parent Tβ4 clearance
- Hours (animal studies)
What limits the data
Fragment definitions vary between suppliers, complicating cross-study comparisons. Small peptides are typically cleared via renal filtration and proteolysis within hours.
Extended research context
The TB-500 (Thymosin β4 fragment) deep dive
Deep dive: TB-500 vs full-length Thymosin Beta-4
'TB-500' is a synthetic peptide corresponding to the active 17-amino-acid actin-binding region of the endogenous 43-residue Thymosin Beta-4 protein. The two are not identical — TB-500 lacks the flanking sequence that gives full-length TB-4 additional binding partners. In the research literature, papers use 'Thymosin β4' when they mean the full protein and 'TB-500' or 'AcSDKP fragment' when they mean the shorter synthetic peptide. Reading a CoA carefully to see which molecule is in the vial matters — mass spec is the definitive check.
Actin-binding as the core mechanism
The N-terminal region of TB-4 (and TB-500 by inheritance) contains the canonical actin-binding motif. This motif sequesters G-actin monomers, modulating the G:F actin equilibrium in cell cultures. That mechanism is why almost every mechanistic paper on TB-500 traces back to cytoskeletal reorganisation, cell migration, and models of tissue repair.
Handling considerations unique to TB-500
TB-500 is a 17-residue peptide with modest amphipathicity; it reconstitutes cleanly in bacteriostatic water but is sensitive to repeated freeze/thaw. Aliquoting into single-use volumes on first reconstitution preserves potency across a batch. HPLC on the batch CoA should show a single dominant peak; a doublet suggests deamidation.
Research applications
- ▸In vitro actin-polymerisation assays (G:F actin ratio measurement)
- ▸Cell-migration and wound-scratch assays in fibroblast lines
- ▸Angiogenesis models: tube-formation and endothelial migration assays
- ▸Analytical method development for short peptides on RP-HPLC
- ▸Reference-material comparisons against endogenous Thymosin β4
Handling checklist
- ✓Store lyophilised vials at −20 °C long-term
- ✓Reconstitute with bacteriostatic water (0.9% benzyl alcohol)
- ✓Aliquot immediately to avoid freeze/thaw cycles
- ✓Refrigerate reconstituted aliquots at 2–8 °C; use within 28 days
- ✓Confirm mass (~4,963 Da for TB-500) via CoA before study use
Common research-handling mistakes
Learnt from thousands of researcher orders across our UK labs.
✗ Assuming TB-500 = full Thymosin β4
Fix: TB-500 is the 17-residue actin-binding fragment; check the CoA sequence.
✗ Repeated freeze/thaw
Fix: Aliquot at first reconstitution; each cycle degrades yield.
✗ Using tap water
Fix: Use bacteriostatic or sterile water only.
Continue researching
Peer-reviewed guides, comparators and matched reference materials.
Related questions researchers ask
- Is TB-500 the same as Thymosin Beta-4?
- How does TB-500 bind actin?
- What is the molecular weight of TB-500?
- How is TB-500 reconstituted for research?
- Is TB-500 legal to buy in the UK for research?
Frequently asked questions
- Does TB-500 have a long half-life?
- Without albumin-binding modifications, small peptides like TB-500 have short half-lives.
Primary sources & clinical trials
Peer-reviewed research and registered trials from PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, PubChem, FDA and NIH. All links open in a new tab and point to the primary source, so every claim can be verified at origin.
- PubMedPubMed — Tβ4 pharmacokineticspubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubMedGoldstein et al., Thymosin β4: a multi-functional regenerative peptide — Ann NY Acad Sci 2012 (PMID 22574954)pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubMedCrockford et al., Thymosin β4 in acute myocardial infarction — Expert Opin Biol Ther (PMID 20095868)pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubMedSosne et al., Thymosin β4 corneal wound healing — Ann NY Acad Sci (PMID 20955324)pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- TrialClinicalTrials.gov · Thymosin β4 (RGN-259) dry eye Phase 3 (NCT03925727)clinicaltrials.gov
- PubChemPubChem · Thymosin β4 (CID 16132341)pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubMedNIH PubMed — Thymosin beta-4 tissue repairpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- GuidelineGoogle — Creating helpful, reliable, people-first contentdevelopers.google.com
Written and reviewed by
Jack Muncaster · Founder, UK Peptides
Jack founded UK Peptides in Manchester after repeatedly receiving research compounds with missing or recycled paperwork. He is responsible for supplier selection, batch release decisions and the content published in this research library. Every article here is sourced to primary literature and every product page to a signed third-party certificate.
More TB-500 (Thymosin β4 fragment) articles
- Is TB-500 the Same as Full-Length Thymosin Beta-4?TB-500 is not identical to full-length Thymosin Beta-4. TB-500 is a synthetic fragment covering the actin-binding region; Tβ4 is a 43-residue native protein.
- TB-500 in the Published ResearchKey TB-500 and Thymosin Beta-4 research references: Low 1981, Goldstein reviews, and multiple wound-repair, cardiac and neurological animal studies.
- BPC-157 and TB-500: How They DifferBPC-157 is a 15-residue peptide from gastric juice; TB-500 is a fragment of Thymosin Beta-4. Sequence, origin, and studied mechanism differ.
- TB-500 Molecular Weight ExplainedTB-500 molecular weight is approximately 4.9 kDa for the commonly supplied fragment. How MW is measured and why it matters for identity verification.
- Thymosin Beta-4 Fragment Research ExplainedThymosin Beta-4 fragment research: why the actin-binding fragment is studied instead of the full 43-residue protein, and how findings translate.
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