Growth Differentiation Factor 9 (GDF-9) and its closest paralog Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15 (BMP15; also known as GDF-9B) are oocyte-specific growth factors and distinguish themselves from granulosa cell-derived markers of ovarian function (such as AMH, inhibin A, inhibin B, E2) and thus may provide a more direct assessment of oocyte function competence. The mature peptide portions of GDF-9 and BMP-15 can form non-covalent bioactive homo- and heterodimers, but no methods have been available for measuring these different forms in biological fluids. BMP-15 and GDF-9 are synthesized as precursors with 249-295 amino acid N-terminal pro-peptides and 125-139 amino acid mature domains. GDF-9 and BMP-15 form 40 kDa and 34 kDa homodimers and 37 kDa heterodimers. Recent evidence shows that the GDF-9:BMP-15 is a highly active GDF-9-like super agonist being up to 1000-fold more potent than GDF-9 itself. GDF-9:BMP-15 appears to be the biologically most relevant form of the dimers.
產(chǎn)品描述
The BMP-15 Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit provides materials for the quantitative measurement of BMP-15 in follicular fluid.