Everything below concerns prothymosin alpha. We keep the language plain, cite what the science says, and separate well-supported claims from open questions.
Updated 2025-08-31. Numbers and descriptions here follow the published literature rather than marketing material.
Thymosin alpha 1 is a short peptide of 28 amino acid residues that derives from the amino terminal region of a larger precursor protein known as prothymosin alpha. The peptide carries an acetyl group on its first residue and contains no disulfide bonds or carbohydrate chains. Its sequence is highly conserved across mammalian species, which is one reason laboratories treat it as a molecule with a defined and reproducible structure rather than a variable tissue extract. The name follows an early naming convention for thymus-derived fractions and does not imply that the peptide acts as a hormone in the classical endocrine sense.
Biologically, the peptide is studied mainly in the context of immune cell development and regulation. It is produced in the thymus and in several other tissues, and it appears to influence the maturation and activity of T cells and other immune populations. Laboratory work describes effects on cytokine production, on the balance between T cell subsets, and on the function of dendritic cells. Much of this evidence comes from cell culture and animal models, so the extent to which the same pathways operate in humans remains an open question.
Clinical interest has centered on chronic viral hepatitis, on immune restoration in various conditions, and on use as an adjuvant intended to improve responses to vaccines. Trials have reported mixed results, and regulatory status differs sharply between countries; in some places it is a prescription product, while elsewhere it is sold without an approved therapeutic indication. Because published studies vary widely in design, population, and endpoints, comparisons across them are difficult and no single conclusion covers the whole literature.
The molecule consists of 28 amino acid residues with an acetyl group attached to the N-terminal serine. Its sequence is acidic overall, with several glutamic and aspartic acid residues distributed along the chain and no cysteine, so disulfide bridges do not form. The peptide carries a net negative charge at physiological pH. Because the N-terminus is blocked, the intact molecule resists degradation by many aminopeptidases, which contributes to its stability in biological fluids.
The peptide is generated in cells by cleavage of prothymosin alpha, a larger acidic protein encoded by the PTMA gene. Prothymosin alpha is expressed in many tissues, not only in the thymus, and its functions include nuclear roles in chromatin-related processes. The 28-residue fragment corresponds to the N-terminal portion of that precursor. How the cleavage occurs and how the fragment's concentration is regulated remain open questions; circulating amounts are small and difficult to measure reliably with routine assays.
Thymosin alpha 1 is a short peptide first isolated from bovine thymus tissue in the early 1970s during fractionation work aimed at identifying factors that influence T cell development. It belongs to a family of acidic thymic peptides, and the original preparations contained several components that were later separated by chromatography. The compound is now produced synthetically rather than extracted from tissue, which removes batch variability tied to animal sourcing. Researchers describe it as an immunomodulatory peptide because laboratory studies show effects on several cell types of the innate and adaptive immune systems.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular mass | Approximately 3,108 Da | Consistent with a 28-residue acetylated peptide |
| Residue count | 28 | Corresponds to the amino terminal region of prothymosin alpha |
| Appearance of dry powder | White to off-white solid | Slight variation between lots is normal |
| Solubility class | Freely soluble in water | Low solubility in most organic solvents |
| Common synonyms | Thymosin alpha 1, T alpha 1 | The numeral reflects an early fraction numbering scheme |
Immunological studies connect the peptide to multiple parts of the immune response. It has been reported to engage Toll-like receptor signaling, to promote dendritic cell maturation, and to influence the balance of T helper cell subsets. Changes in natural killer cell activity and in cytokine release appear in cell culture and animal models. These observations describe broad immunomodulatory behavior rather than a single defined receptor target, and the primary molecular interaction has not been settled.
Thymosin alpha-1 is a synthetic 28-amino-acid peptide whose sequence was first identified in extracts of bovine thymus tissue during the 1970s. The chain carries an acetyl group on its N-terminal serine. Its acidic residue content is high, which produces strong water solubility and an isoelectric point well below neutrality. Material supplied for laboratory and clinical use is manufactured by solid-phase peptide synthesis rather than purified from animal tissue. Different salt forms, such as the acetate, alter the counter-ion content without changing the peptide backbone.
Whether the free 28-residue peptide circulates in human tissue remains debated. The best-documented human source is prothymosin alpha, a larger acidic protein that carries the sequence at its N-terminus. Reports of measurable peptide levels in serum and lymphoid tissue exist, yet some of that signal may come from cross-reacting fragments or from the parent protein. Most reviews therefore treat prothymosin alpha as the established human molecule and describe independent circulation of the small peptide as an unresolved question.
Identity and purity are usually assessed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, which separates the target peptide from truncated or chemically modified byproducts. Mass spectrometry confirms the expected molecular mass and can indicate acetylation state or sequence errors. Amino acid analysis and peptide mapping supply complementary sequence-level information, while endotoxin testing is relevant for preparations intended for cell or animal work. Purity figures reported by suppliers refer to the method used and are not directly comparable across laboratories unless conditions are stated.
Lyophilized material is typically treated as a hygroscopic solid that should be brought to room temperature before the container is opened, which limits condensation on the powder. Reconstitution is commonly done with sterile water or a buffered diluent, and gentle mixing is preferred over vigorous agitation to reduce foaming and surface adsorption. Because peptides can bind to plastic and glass, diluents containing a small amount of carrier protein are sometimes used in laboratory work. Working solutions are generally aliquoted and prepared fresh rather than subjected to repeated freezing and thawing.
== Type IV leader peptidase == Another family of signal aspartic endopeptidases was found in bacteria. Bacteria produce a number of protein precursors that undergo post-translational methylation and proteolysis prior to secretion as active proteins. Type IV prepilin leader peptidases are enzymes that mediate this type of post-translational modification. Type IV pilin is a protein found on the surface of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and other Gram-negative pathogens. Pilin subunits attach the infecting organism to the surface of host epithelial cells. They are synthesised as prepilin subunits, which differ from mature pilin by virtue of containing a 6-8 residue leader peptide consisting of charged amino acids. Mature type IV pilins also contain a methylated N-terminal phenylalanine residue. The bifunctional enzyme prepilin peptidase (PilD) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a key determinant in both type-IV pilus biogenesis and extracellular protein secretion, in its roles as a leader peptidase and methyl transferase (MTase). It is responsible for endopeptidic cleavage of the unique leader peptides that characterise type-IV pilin precursors, as well as proteins with homologous leader sequences that are essential components of the general secretion pathway found in a variety of Gram-negative pathogens. Following removal of the leader peptides, the same enzyme is responsible for the second posttranslational modification that characterises the type-IV pilins and their homologues, namely N-methylation of the newly exposed N-terminal amino acid residue.
Acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (Herxheimer disease, primary diffuse atrophy) Actinic elastosis (solar elastosis) Anetoderma (anetoderma maculosa, anetoderma maculosa cutis, atrophia maculosa cutis, macular atrophy) Blepharochalasis Cutis laxa (chalazoderma, dermatochalasia, dermatolysis, dermatomegaly, generalized elastolysis, generalized elastorrhexis, pachydermatocele) Cutis rhomboidalis nuchae Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (cutis hyperelastica, elastic skin, India rubber skin) Elastosis perforans serpiginosa Homocystinuria Jadassohn–Pellizzari anetoderma Linear focal elastosis (elastotic striae) Loeys–Dietz syndrome Marfan syndrome Occipital horn syndrome Osteogenesis imperfecta (Lobstein syndrome) Perforating calcific elastosis (localized acquired cutaneous pseudoxanthoma elasticum, perforating periumbilical calcific elastosis, periumbilical perforating pseudoxanthoma elasticum) Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (Grönblad–Strandberg syndrome) Reactive perforating collagenosis Schweninger–Buzzi anetoderma Sclerotic fibroma Striae atrophicans Striae distensae Ullrich disease Verrucous perforating collagenoma Wrinkly skin syndrome
The two promoters correspond to two broad categories of glucokinase function: In liver, glucokinase acts as the gateway for the "bulk processing" of available glucose, while, in the neuroendocrine cells, it acts as a sensor, triggering cell responses that affect body-wide carbohydrate metabolism.
Carrie Ann Inaba (singer-actress) is the US national awareness ambassador and spokesperson for the Sjögren's Foundation (previously the Sjögren's Syndrome Foundation). Venus Williams (world champion tennis player) has been diagnosed with Sjögren's disease and said she had struggled with fatigue for years. Stephen McPhail (professional soccer player for Ireland, Leeds, and Cardiff City) was diagnosed with lymphoma and Sjögren's disease at age 29. Halsey (American singer) was diagnosed with Sjogren's, Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, mast cell activation syndrome, and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Slađana Milošević (Serbian singer) died after struggling with Sjögren's disease.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== Research supporting the development, safety and benefits of GLP-1 therapeutics === Drucker joined the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto in 2006. In 2008 he led studies aimed at the development and testing of the first long-acting, once-weekly version of the diabetes medication exenatide. He later studied the long-term effects of related weight-loss medicines on bowel health. Drucker has also led the identification of the cardioprotective mechanisms of GLP-1 action. Notably, in 2009 he demonstrated in mice that these effects were not dependent on glucose lowering or weight loss – findings confirmed over a decade later in cardiovascular outcome trials. His discoveries predicted the safety of GLP-1 receptor agonists for their expanding applications to treat obesity and other chronic conditions. Most recently, Drucker has identified multiple mechanisms linking GLP-1 to the reduction of inflammation. Drucker holds the Banting and Best Diabetes Centre-Novo Nordisk Chair in Incretin Biology. His many national and international recognitions include the 2023 Wolf Prize in Medicine, awarded for "pioneering work in elucidating the mechanisms and therapeutic potential of enteroendocrine hormones," as well as the Warren Alpert Foundation Prize and the Canada Gairdner International Award, among numerous others. Drucker was elected a Royal Society Fellow in 2015, a National Academy of Sciences International Member in 2021and a National Academy of Medicine International Member in 2023.
King Crimson were an English progressive rock band formed in London in 1968. Pioneered by guitarist and primary composer Robert Fripp—the group's sole constant member throughout their history—the band are widely regarded as a foundational catalyst of the progressive rock movement. They drew inspiration from an expansive array of musical styles, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, post-punk, industrial, and experimental music. Beyond shaping contemporaries such as Yes and Genesis, King Crimson's genre-spanning innovations have exerted a lasting influence on subsequent generations of alternative rock, metal, and math rock artists, earning the band a enduring global cult following. The band was initially formed by Fripp alongside Michael Giles, Greg Lake, Ian McDonald, and lyricist Peter Sinfield. Their debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King (1969), achieved immediate critical and commercial success, and is widely cited by music historians as a definitive cornerstone of progressive rock. Following the rapid dissolution of the original line-up, the group endured a period of personnel instability, releasing In the Wake of Poseidon (1970), Lizard (1970), and Islands (1971). In 1972, Fripp refashioned the band's direction by recruiting Bill Bruford, John Wetton, David Cross, and Jamie Muir, alongside lyricist Richard Palmer-James.
A tea plant will grow into a tree of up to 16 m (52 ft) if left undisturbed, but cultivated plants are generally pruned to waist height for ease of harvesting. The short plants also bear more new shoots which provide new and tender leaves and increase the quality of the tea. For centuries, tea shoots were harvested only by hand, or "plucked," but in time workers came to use shears or sickles to speed the job, and in the twentieth century commercial plantations adopted machines for the task, especially for low-grade black teas processed by the crush, tear, curl method. Today World Tea News estimates that at least 70 percent of tea bushes worldwide are harvested by practices other than plucking. Only the top 25 to 50 millimetres (1 to 2 in) of the mature plant are picked. These buds and leaves are called 'flushes'. A plant will grow a new flush every 7 to 15 days during the growing season. Leaves that are slow in development tend to produce better-flavoured teas. Several teas are available from specified flushes; for example, Darjeeling tea is available as first flush (at a premium price), second flush, monsoon and autumn. Assam second flush or "tippy" tea is considered superior to first flush, because of the gold tips that appear on the leaves.
Li2CO3 + CO2 + H2O ⇌ 2 LiHCO3 The extraction of lithium carbonate at high pressures of CO2 and its precipitation upon depressurizing is the basis of the Quebec process. Lithium carbonate can also be purified by exploiting its diminished solubility in hot water. Thus, heating a saturated aqueous solution causes crystallization of Li2CO3. Lithium carbonate, and other carbonates of group 1, do not decarboxylate readily. Li2CO3 decomposes at temperatures around 1300 °C.
The Downstream-peptide motif refers to a conserved RNA structure identified by bioinformatics in the cyanobacterial genera Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus and one phage that infects such bacteria. It was also detected in marine samples of DNA from uncultivated bacteria, which are presumably other species of cyanobacteria. Downstream-peptide RNAs are found upstream of short open reading frames (ORFs) that are predicted to encode short peptides (usually between 17 and 100 amino acids). One of the ORFs is apparently down-regulated when cells are grown with an insufficient supply of nitrogen sources. The Downstream-peptide motif has a structural resemblance to a different candidate RNA structure called the glnA RNA motif which was shown to be a functional glutamine binding riboswitch in cyanobacteria. The most striking similarity is the nucleotide conservation within the P1 stem of both motifs, and this and other similarities was discussed previously. It was hypothesized that Downstream-peptide RNAs correspond to riboswitches, based on multiple lines of evidence. First, glnA RNAs are often located in the presumed 5′ untranslated regions of multiple classes of genes involved in nitrogen metabolism. This, and other evidence, suggests that glnA RNAs are riboswitches, and their structural similarity to Downstream-peptide RNAs in turn suggests that Downstream-peptide RNAs are also riboswitches.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
In aquatic species, the front legs are modified into flippers. Tuataras superficially resemble lizards but the lineages diverged in the Triassic period. There is one living species, Sphenodon punctatus. The skull has two openings (fenestrae) on either side and the jaw is rigidly attached to the skull. There is one row of teeth in the lower jaw and this fits between the two rows in the upper jaw when the animal chews. The teeth are merely projections of bony material from the jaw and eventually wear down. The brain and heart are more primitive than those of other reptiles, and the lungs have a single chamber and lack bronchi. The tuatara has a well-developed parietal eye on its forehead. Lizards have skulls with only one fenestra on each side, the lower bar of bone below the second fenestra having been lost. This results in the jaws being less rigidly attached which allows the mouth to open wider. Lizards are mostly quadrupeds, with the trunk held off the ground by short, sideways-facing legs, but a few species have no limbs and resemble snakes. Lizards have moveable eyelids, eardrums are present and some species have a central parietal eye. Snakes are closely related to lizards, having branched off from a common ancestral lineage during the Cretaceous period, and they share many of the same features. The skeleton consists of a skull, a hyoid bone, spine and ribs though a few species retain a vestige of the pelvis and rear limbs in the form of pelvic spurs.
==== Stretched ==== Neither age or size of the flaccid penis accurately predicted erectile length. Stretched length has correlated with erect length in some cases. However, studies have also shown drastic differences between stretched and erect length. One study found that a minimal tension force of approximately 450 g during stretching of the penis was required to reach a full potential erection length. This study also found that tension forces exerted in this study by the urologist were shown to be significantly (P<0.01) lower than 450g. This may account for differences between stretched and erect length.
The Royal Marine battalion and Royal Marine Artillery were to go to Quebec under the command of Beckwith, leaving Napier a brigade of 1,000 infantry and three artillery pieces. It had been proposed to move the 102d to operations in the American south, but this was not carried out. Napier transferred by exchange to the 50th Regiment of Foot in September 1813. Detachments of the 102d Regiment of Foot remained on both sides of the border between the British colony of New Brunswick and the U.S. state of Maine after the war's end in December 1814 at Moose Island, modern day Eastport, Maine, United States. The Treaty of Ghent was signed on 24 December 1814 by the negotiators, ratified by the Prince Regent on 27 December, and by the United States President on 17 February, ending the war. After three years at New Brunswick, it embarked in the autumn of 1817 to return to England under the command of Major Gustavus Rochford. After the end of the wars against Napoleonic France and the United States, the British Army disbanded many units for the sake of economy. The regiment was reorganized as the 100th Regiment of Foot in 1816. The regiment was the last British unit to occupy the United States; the last detachments returned to Chatham in England, where the regiment was disbanded on 24 March 1818.
The meta-analysis also noted that the mechanisms of acupuncture "are clinically relevant, but that an important part of these total effects is not due to issues considered to be crucial by most acupuncturists, such as the correct location of points and depth of needling" and that acupuncture may be "associated with more potent placebo or context effects" than other treatments. Commenting on these findings, both Edzard Ernst and David Colquhoun said the results were of negligible clinical significance. A 2011 overview of Cochrane reviews found evidence that suggests acupuncture is effective for some but not all kinds of pain. A 2010 systematic review found that there is evidence "that acupuncture provides a short-term clinically relevant effect when compared with a waiting list control or when acupuncture is added to another intervention" in the treatment of chronic low back pain. Two review articles discussing the effectiveness of acupuncture, from 2008 and 2009, have concluded that there is not enough evidence to conclude that it is effective beyond the placebo effect. Acupuncture is generally safe when administered using Clean Needle Technique (CNT). Although serious adverse effects are rare, acupuncture is not without risk. Severe adverse effects, including very rarely death (five case reports), have been reported.
Following the UDI, however, Rhodesia began to demonstrate that it had the potential to develop a greater degree of economic self-sufficiency. After the Rhodesian Front began introducing incentives accorded to domestic production, industrial output expanded dramatically. A rigid system of countermeasures enacted to combat sanctions succeeded in blunting their impact for at least a decade. Over the next nine years, Rhodesian companies, spiting the freezing of their assets and blocking of overseas accounts, also perfected cunning techniques of sanctions evasion through both local and foreign subsidiaries, which operated on a clandestine trade network. From 1968 until 1970, there was virtually no further dialogue between Rhodesia and the UK. In a referendum in 1969, white voters approved a new constitution and the establishment of a republic, thereby severing Rhodesia's last links with the British Crown, duly declared in March 1970. This changed immediately after the election of Edward Heath, who reopened negotiations. Smith remained optimistic that Heath would do his utmost to remedy Anglo-Rhodesian relations, although disappointed that he continued to adhere publicly to the original "five principles" proposed by Alec Douglas-Home, now foreign secretary.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
The name reflects an early convention for naming thymus-derived fractions. The peptide is characterized and measured as a defined molecule, and it does not operate through a single classical endocrine axis.
Thymosin fraction 5 is a mixture of many peptides obtained from thymus tissue, while thymosin alpha 1 is a single defined 28-residue molecule. The two names appear together in older literature because the purified peptide was first obtained from that mixture.
The precursor, prothymosin alpha, is encoded by the PTMA gene in humans. The 28-residue peptide corresponds to the N-terminal segment released from that larger protein.
It is produced as a fragment of prothymosin alpha and is present in many tissues. Circulating concentrations are low, which makes routine measurement difficult.