This is a working overview of thymosin alpha-1, written for readers who want more than a one-paragraph summary but less than a textbook.
This page was last updated on 2025-08-11 and is reviewed periodically as new material appears.
The peptide was identified during work in the 1970s on thymosin fraction 5, a partially purified extract of calf thymus. Investigators separated that mixture and characterized individual components, one of which they named thymosin alpha-1. The same compound later received the international nonproprietary name thymalfasin. Commercial material is produced by solid-phase peptide synthesis rather than by extraction, so synthetic and natural forms share an identical sequence. Naming conventions vary across the literature, and readers should distinguish the alpha-1 peptide from other thymosins that have unrelated sequences and functions.
Thymosin beta-4 is a separate 43-residue peptide that binds actin and participates in cell migration; it shares no sequence similarity with thymosin alpha-1 despite the common family name. Other preparative materials, such as thymosin fraction 5 and thymopoietin, contain distinct mixtures or peptides. The shared thymosin label reflects the tissue of origin used in early purification, not a common structural core. Treating these molecules as interchangeable is a frequent source of confusion in laboratory reports and in popular summaries alike.
胸腺素α1（thymosin alpha 1，Tα1）是一种由28个氨基酸组成的酸性肽，N端被乙酰化，分子量约为3108道尔顿。该肽最早从牛胸腺组织提取物中分离，属于胸腺素组分5的一个成分。其序列在不同哺乳动物中高度保守，提示其具有基本的生物学功能。名称中的“α1”指其在电泳中的迁移位置，并非表示亚型编号。它既存在于胸腺，也存在于脾脏和淋巴结等免疫组织。
20世纪70年代，研究者从胸腺提取物中纯化出多种小肽，Tα1是其中被较早表征的一种。最初的制备依赖组织匀浆和层析步骤，产量低且成分复杂。随着固相肽合成技术成熟，实验室和工业界能够生产与天然序列一致的合成版本。合成肽的纯度可达95%以上，并可通过反相高效液相色谱和质谱进行鉴定。这一转变使研究不再依赖动物胸腺来源。
市售的胸腺素α1通常以冻干粉形式提供，溶解后用于注射。其氨基酸组成包括多个酸性残基，因此在中性pH下带负电荷。该肽可溶于水和生理盐水，但在有机溶剂中溶解度有限。储存条件通常为冻干状态下负20摄氏度，溶解后需冷藏并避免反复冻融。常见的同义词包括胸腺肽α1、thymalfasin和Tα1。
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular mass | About 3.1 kDa | 28 residues, N-terminally acetylated |
| Appearance | White to off-white powder | Lyophilized solid |
| Solubility | Freely soluble in water | Also soluble in aqueous buffers |
| Storage temperature | 2 to 8 °C | Protect from light and moisture |
| Common synonyms | Thymalfasin; Tα1 | Same peptide sequence |
Thymosin alpha-1 is a synthetic peptide of 28 amino acids whose sequence matches the amino-terminal region of prothymosin alpha. The chain is acetylated at its first residue and contains one disulfide bridge between two cysteine residues, which folds the molecule into a compact loop. Its molecular formula, C129H215N33O55, corresponds to a monoisotopic mass of roughly 3,106 daltons. Material used in laboratories is made by solid-phase synthesis rather than isolated from animal tissue.
Early work on thymic extracts in the 1960s described a heat-stable acidic fraction containing many polypeptides. Separation of that mixture yielded individual components, and thymosin alpha-1 was named as one of them on the basis of assays for T-cell activity. The first preparations came from calf thymus, while subsequent research and clinical material has been chemically synthesized. Nomenclature in older papers is inconsistent, and the same peptide sometimes appears under different designations, which complicates literature searches.
Most published studies on thymosin alpha-1 report changes in immune measurements rather than clinical outcomes, and findings differ across designs and populations. Whether the peptide signals through one defined receptor or through several less specific interactions remains an open question. Its reported circulation half-life of a few hours complicates comparison of dosing schedules across trials. Mechanistic claims are frequently drawn from isolated cell cultures, and how far those results extend to whole organisms is unresolved.
Thymosin alpha-1 is a 28-residue peptide first isolated from thymus tissue in the 1970s. It corresponds to the N-terminal portion of thymosin beta-4, from which it is cleaved in vivo. The peptide carries an acetyl group at its N-terminus, a modification that affects its charge and stability. Synthetic material produced by solid-phase peptide synthesis is chemically identical to the natural fragment and is the form used in research and clinical studies.
Laboratory work indicates that the peptide acts on cells of both the innate and adaptive immune systems. Reported effects include signalling through Toll-like receptors on dendritic cells, enhanced T-cell maturation, and increased natural killer cell activity. These actions are described largely from cell-culture and animal experiments, and the precise receptor-level events remain incompletely defined. Studies in humans have generally measured immune markers rather than a single defined molecular target. The resulting picture remains partly descriptive.
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In December, 2020, Sinclair's group published that three Yamanaka transcription factors, Oct4, Sox2, and Klf4, when delivered together in a virus, could safely reverse the age of human and mouse cells, and restore the vision of old mice and mice with glaucoma. In 2023, with Bruce Ksander's lab at Mass Eye and Ear, they presented a poster at the annual ARVO conference accompanied by a company press release claiming that vision could be restored in non-human primates. In January 2023, Sinclair's lab published research in Cell purporting to support his Information Theory of Aging, the idea that mammalian aging is due to the loss of epigenetic information, and that Yamanaka factors could exert a degree of artificial control over senescence and rejuvenation in mice. The paper received a formal reply pointing out that the treatment used in the paper is known to produce p53-dependent cell death in a 30-day period in which the mice were not observed. Sinclair's claims of reverse aging have received criticism from other scientists.
Air pollution in Hong Kong is considered a major problem. It became a concern soon after the start of the 2000s. According to the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), the major air pollutants in Hong Kong include nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), respirable suspended particulates (RSP or PM10), fine suspended particulates (FSP or PM2.5), volatile organic compounds (VOC), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone and lead.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
1993/567) Education (Grant-maintained Schools) (Finance) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/568) Education (Grants) (Travellers and Displaced Persons) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/569) Isles of Scilly (Community Care) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/570) National Health Service (Determination of Regions) Amendment Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/571) National Health Service (District Health Authorities) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/572) Regional and District Health Authorities (Membership and Procedure) Amendment Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/573) National Health Service (Determination of Districts) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/574) Local Government Finance Act 1992 (Commencement No. 8 and Transitional Provisions) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/575) Local Government Finance (Consequential Amendments) (Scotland) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/576) Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/577) Qualifications of Directors of Social Work (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/578) City of Glasgow and Monklands Districts (Bargeddie) Boundaries Amendment Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/579) Stirling and Clackmannan Districts (Blackgrange and Blairlogie House) Boundaries Amendment Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/580) Housing (Change of Landlord) (Payment of Disposal Cost by Instalments) (Amendment) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/581) Residential Accommodation (Determination of District Health Authority) (Amendment) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/582) Social Security (Contributions) Amendment (No. 4) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/583) Child Support (Northern Ireland Reciprocal Arrangements) Regulations 1993 (S.I.
GSK-3 functions by phosphorylating a serine or threonine residue on its target substrate. A positively charged pocket adjacent to the active site binds a "priming" phosphate group attached to a serine or threonine four residues C-terminal of the target phosphorylation site. The active site, at residues 181, 200, 97, and 85, binds the terminal phosphate of ATP and transfers it to the target location on the substrate (see figure 1).
=== Classification === The crosslinks which bond the polymers of a hydrogel fall under two general categories: physical hydrogels and chemical hydrogels. Chemical hydrogels have covalent cross-linking bonds, whereas physical hydrogels have non-covalent bonds. Chemical hydrogels can result in strong reversible or irreversible gels due to the covalent bonding. Chemical hydrogels that contain reversible covalent cross-linking bonds, such as hydrogels of thiomers being cross-linked via disulfide bonds, are non-toxic and are used in numerous medicinal products. Physical hydrogels usually have high biocompatibility, are not toxic, and are also easily reversible by simply changing an external stimulus such as pH, ion concentration (alginate) or temperature (gelatine); they are also used for medical applications. Physical crosslinks consist of hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic interactions, and chain entanglements (among others). A hydrogel generated through the use of physical crosslinks is sometimes called a 'reversible' hydrogel. Chemical crosslinks consist of covalent bonds between polymer strands. Hydrogels generated in this manner are sometimes called 'permanent' hydrogels. Hydrogels are prepared using a variety of polymeric materials, which can be divided broadly into two categories according to their origin: natural or synthetic polymers. Natural polymers for hydrogel preparation include hyaluronic acid, chitosan, heparin, alginate, gelatin and fibrin.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
== Career == Atul Malhotra, who has more than 25 years of professional experience, is currently the director of research for pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine at the University of California, San Diego. He served as a professor of medicine, a sleep medicine specialist, the head of the division for pulmonary and critical care, and the Kenneth Moser Professor during his time at the University of California, San Diego.
The heart is composed of two atria and two ventricles. The primary purpose of the atria is to allow uninterrupted venous blood flow to the heart during ventricular systole. This allows enough blood to get into the ventricles during atrial systole. Consequently, the atria allow a cardiac output roughly 75% greater than would be possible without them. The purpose of the ventricles is to pump blood to the lungs through the right ventricle and to the rest of the body through the left ventricle. The heart has an electrical conduction system to control the contraction and relaxation of the muscles. It starts in the sinoatrial node traveling through the atria causing them to pump blood into the ventricles. It then travels to the atrioventricular node, which makes the signal slow down slightly allowing the ventricles to fill with blood before pumping it out and starting the cycle over again. Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, making up 16% of all deaths. It is caused by the buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries supplying the heart, eventually the arteries may become so narrow that not enough blood is able to reach the myocardium, a condition known as myocardial infarction or heart attack, this can cause heart failure or cardiac arrest and eventually death. Risk factors for coronary artery disease include obesity, smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, lack of exercise and diabetes. Cancer can affect the heart, though it is exceedingly rare and has usually metastasized from another part of the body such as the lungs or breasts.
The two substrates of this enzyme are 4-phospho-D-erythronic acid and oxidised nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). Its products are (R)-3-hydroxy-2-oxo-4-phosphonooxybutanoic acid, reduced NADH, and a proton. This enzyme belongs to the family of oxidoreductases, specifically those acting on the CH-OH group of donor with NAD+ or NADP+ as acceptor. The systematic name of this enzyme class is 4-phospho-D-erythronate:NAD+ 2-oxidoreductase. Other names in common use include PdxB, PdxB 4PE dehydrogenase, and 4-O-phosphoerythronate dehydrogenase. This enzyme participates in vitamin B6 metabolism.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
It is a 28-residue synthetic peptide studied as an immune-modulating agent and approved as a drug in some countries. The sequence matches a naturally occurring fragment isolated from thymus tissue. It is not a hormone in the endocrine sense.
The name traces back to thymosin fraction 5, a crude thymus extract examined in the 1970s. Individual peptides in that mixture were labeled with Greek letters, and alpha-1 was one of them. The international nonproprietary name thymalfasin was assigned later.
No. Thymosin beta-4 contains 43 residues and binds actin, while thymosin alpha-1 contains 28 residues and acts on immune cells. The two sit in a historical naming group but share no sequence similarity, and they are not substitutes for one another.
它不是经典的内分泌激素，而是一种免疫调节肽。其作用主要通过局部免疫细胞间的信号传递实现，而非经血液循环作用于远隔器官。