If you have been reading about thymosin alpha-1 and want a single page that covers the useful parts, this is it: definitions, context, how it is studied, and the questions that come up repeatedly.
Updated 2026-06-28. Numbers and descriptions here follow the published literature rather than marketing material.
The compound has been investigated as an adjunct in chronic viral hepatitis and as a vaccine adjuvant, with results that vary by study design and population. Regulators in some countries have approved a synthetic form for specific indications, while other agencies have not. Whether the peptide produces consistent clinical benefit across diverse patient groups is still an open question, and many trials have been small. Its status is therefore best described as investigational in many contexts and established only narrowly.
The name itself causes confusion, because several unrelated thymic peptides share the thymosin label. Thymosin beta-4, for example, is a different molecule with different functions. Naming conventions in the literature also mix descriptive research terms with assigned nonproprietary names, so a reader should confirm which entity a given paper addresses. Clarifying that point is usually the first step in interpreting any claim about this peptide.
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 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.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Residue count | 28 amino acids | Acetyl group on the first residue |
| Approximate molecular mass | 3108 daltons | Calculated from the consensus sequence |
| Origin | Cleavage product of prothymosin alpha | Not encoded as a separate gene product |
| Primary research focus | Immune modulation | Studied in viral hepatitis and as a vaccine adjuvant |
| Common synonyms | Thymalfasin, Tα1, thymosin alpha 1 | Thymalfasin is the assigned nonproprietary name |
Identity and purity are assessed with a small set of standard peptide methods. Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography separates the main peak from truncated or oxidized species, and its area percentage is the usual purity measure. Mass spectrometry confirms the observed molecular mass against the expected value, while amino acid analysis or peptide mapping checks composition and sequence. Specifications for research-grade material are often stated as 95 percent or higher, though the exact limit depends on the supplier and the intended use.
Laboratory supplies of the peptide usually arrive as a lyophilized powder in sealed vials. The powder is hygroscopic, so a vial should be allowed to reach room temperature before it is opened to prevent condensation on the contents. Weighing and transfer are best performed in a low-humidity environment with clean tools. Once dissolved, the solution should be mixed gently rather than vortexed, because foaming and shear can reduce recovery of the peptide.
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。
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。
Thymosin alpha 1 is a 28-amino-acid peptide first isolated from thymosin fraction 5, a bovine thymic extract. Its sequence begins with an acetylated serine residue and carries a high proportion of acidic residues, so the molecule has a net negative charge near neutral pH. Despite the shared name, it is unrelated in sequence to the thymosin beta family. Synthetic material prepared by solid-phase peptide synthesis is identical in sequence to the natural peptide.
Several names appear in the literature for this peptide, including thymalfasin and the abbreviation T-alpha-1. Naming conventions differ among research articles, regulatory documents, and supplier catalogs, which complicates literature searches. Both synthetic and recombinant production routes yield a peptide with the same 28-residue sequence as the thymic isolate. Because the thymosin label also covers unrelated peptides, sources should be compared by sequence rather than by name alone.
== Evolution == Pyridoxal-5-phosphate (vitamin B6)-dependent enzymes have multiple evolutionary origins. The overall B6 enzymes diverged into four independent evolutionary lines: α family (i.e. aspartate aminotransferase), β family (serine dehydratase), D-alanine aminotransferase family and the alanine racemase family. An example of the evolutionary similarity in the Beta family is seen in the mechanism. The β enzymes are all lyases and catalyze reactions where Cα and Cβ participate. Overall, in the PLP-dependent enzymes, the PLP in every case is covalently attached via an imine bond to the amino group in the active site.
== Limitation of Freundlich adsorption isotherm == Experimentally it was determined that extent of gas adsorption varies directly with pressure, and then it directly varies with pressure raised to the power 1/n until saturation pressure Ps is reached. Beyond that point, the rate of adsorption saturates even after applying higher pressure. Thus, the Freundlich adsorption isotherm fails at higher pressure.
Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) or leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) is a derivative of PRP where autologous platelets and leukocytes are present in a complex fibrin matrix to accelerate the healing of soft and hard tissue and is used as a tissue-engineering scaffold in oral and maxillofacial surgeries. PRF falls under FDA Product Code KST, labeling it as a blood draw/Hematology product classifying it as 510(k) exempt. To obtain PRF, the required quantity of blood is drawn into test tubes without an anticoagulant and centrifuged immediately. Blood can be centrifuged using a tabletop centrifuge from 3-8 minutes for 1300 revolutions per minute. The resultant product consists of the following three layers: the topmost layer consisting of platelet poor plasma, the PRF clot in the middle, and the red blood cells (RBC) at the bottom. The PRF clot can be removed from the test tube using a pickup instrument (such as Gerald tissue forceps). The RBC layer attached to the PRF clot can be carefully removed using scissors or a blunt instrument. Platelet activation in response to tissue damage occurs during the process of making PRF release several biologically active proteins including; platelet alpha granules, platelet‑derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factors‑β (TGF‑β), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and epidermal growth factor.
A clinical study that includes some, but not all, of the eligible patients identified by the researchers during the study registration period. This type of study does not usually have a control group. (NCI) Non-inferiority trial
== Possible additional victims == Police firmly believe the Wests were responsible for further unsolved murders and disappearances. They believed the couple committed ten murders between 1971 and 1979, at least seven of which were for sexual purposes. Following the rash of murders between 1973 and 1975, Fred and Rose are not known to have committed any murders until 1978. They committed one further murder in 1979, followed by an eight-year lull until they murdered their daughter in 1987. Police do not know of any further murders they committed before their 1994 arrest, although Fred confessed to murdering up to thirty people, indicating up to eighteen other undiscovered victims. One theory which may explain the sudden lull in the frequency of their murders is the fact that by the mid-1970s, the Wests had begun a practice of befriending teenage girls from nearby care homes, many of whom they sexually abused, with others encouraged to engage in prostitution within their home. The Wests established acquaintances—including several of their lodgers—willing to participate in their shared fetishes, which may have satiated the couple to a degree. Owens, Anna Marie and several other survivors of sexual assaults at the Wests' hands each testified at Rose's trial that she had been by far the more calculating, aggressive and controlling of the two. Owens stated that, at one stage in her ordeal, Fred had said that they had abducted Owens primarily for Rose's gratification.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== Putative active functions === Treatment of childhood convulsion Analgesic activity and sedative function Anti-fatigue effects Antitumor activity Amelioration of renal malfunction Immunomodulatory effects Immunoregulatory
anticodon A series of three consecutive nucleotides within a transfer RNA which complement the three nucleotides of a codon within an mRNA transcript. During translation, each tRNA recruited to the ribosome contains a single anticodon triplet that pairs with its complementary codon from the mRNA sequence, allowing each codon to specify a particular amino acid to be added to the growing peptide chain. Anticodons containing inosine in the first position are capable of pairing with more than one codon due to a phenomenon known as wobble base pairing.
Bernstein interpreted this as indicating that Engels was moving towards accepting parliamentary reformist and gradualist stances, but he ignored that Engels' stances were tactical as a response to the particular circumstances at that time and that Engels was still committed to revolutionary socialism. Engels was deeply distressed when he discovered that his introduction to a new edition of The Class Struggles in France had been edited by Bernstein and Karl Kautsky in a manner which left the impression that he had become a proponent of a peaceful road to socialism. On 1 April 1895, four months before his death, Engels responded to Kautsky:
=== Cancer === Defection of cells from the normally tight coordination of activity towards an anatomical structure results in cancer; it is thus no surprise that bioelectricity – a key mechanism for coordinating cell growth and patterning – is a target often implicated in cancer and metastasis. Indeed, it has long been known that gap junctions have a key role in carcinogenesis and progression. Channels can behave as oncogenes and are thus suitable as novel drug targets. Recent work in amphibian models has shown that depolarization of resting potential can trigger metastatic behavior in normal cells, while hyperpolarization (induced by ion channel misexpression, drugs, or light) can suppress tumorigenesis induced by expression of human oncogenes. Depolarization of resting potential appears to be a bioelectric signature by which incipient tumor sites can be detected non-invasively. Refinement of the bioelectric signature of cancer in biomedical contexts, as a diagnostic modality, is one of the possible applications of this field. Excitingly, the ambivalence of polarity – depolarization as marker and hyperpolarization as treatment – make it conceptually possible to derive theragnostic (portmanteau of therapeutics with diagnostics) approaches, designed to simultaneously detect and treat early tumors, in this case based on the normalization of the membrane polarization.
A polymer () is a substance or material that consists of very large molecules, or macromolecules, that are constituted by many repeating subunits derived from one or more species of monomers. Due to their broad spectrum of properties, both synthetic and natural polymers have essential and ubiquitous roles in everyday life. Polymers range from familiar synthetic plastics such as polystyrene to natural biopolymers such as DNA and proteins that are fundamental to biological structure and function. Polymers, both natural and synthetic, are created via polymerization of many small molecules, known as monomers. Their consequently large molecular mass, relative to small molecule compounds, produces unique physical properties including toughness, high elasticity, viscoelasticity, and a tendency to form amorphous and semicrystalline structures rather than crystals. Polymers are studied in the fields of polymer science (which includes polymer chemistry and polymer physics), biophysics and materials science and engineering. Historically, products arising from the linkage of repeating units by covalent chemical bonds have been the primary focus of polymer science. An emerging important area now focuses on supramolecular polymers formed by non-covalent links. Polyisoprene of latex rubber is an example of a natural polymer, and the polystyrene of styrofoam is an example of a synthetic polymer.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
It is usually classified as an immunomodulatory peptide rather than a classical hormone. It derives from the larger protein prothymosin alpha and acts mainly on immune cells. The thymosin label covers a group of distinct peptides, so the naming can be misleading.
The two share a family name but have different sequences, sizes, and functions. Thymosin beta-4 is a 43-residue peptide associated with actin binding and cell migration. Thymosin alpha-1 is a 28-residue peptide linked mainly to immune signaling.
Thymalfasin is the assigned international nonproprietary name for the synthetic 28-residue peptide. Thymosin alpha-1 is the descriptive research name for the same molecule. Which term appears depends on the context and the regulatory document.
Its sequence corresponds to the amino-terminal portion of prothymosin alpha, a larger protein present in many cell types. The isolated 28-residue peptide is a fragment of that protein rather than a separately encoded molecule, and laboratory material is produced by synthesis.