What is Follistatin-344?
Follistatin-344 is the precursor of the FST-315 isoform, with 344 amino acids including the signal peptide. It binds TGF-β family members such as activin A and myostatin (GDF-8) with high affinity.
More data in the lexicon entry on Follistatin-344.
State of research
Follistatin was first discovered as an inhibitor of the hormone FSH, hence the name. Later it turned out to bind activins and myostatin with high affinity. Mice that make more follistatin develop markedly more muscle mass.
Gene therapy is particularly well documented: in monkeys and later in a clinical study in Becker muscular dystrophy (Mendell et al., 2015), the follistatin-344 gene was delivered to muscle with a viral vector, and walking distance improved in some participants. For work with the protein itself, stability and short half-life are important limits.
Status and quality
Follistatin is not approved as a medicine; myostatin inhibitors are on the WADA Prohibited List. Peptidkauf sells Follistatin-344 solely as a research reagent for laboratory and in-vitro use and gives no dosing or application advice.
An independent laboratory tests every batch for purity (HPLC), identity and measured content before it goes on sale; the reports and their verification keys are in the lab report archive. The material ships as lyophilised powder in a glass vial; storage and laboratory handling are covered under storage & handling.
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