MGF

Product Details

MGF (Mechano Growth Factor, IGF-1Ec) — Research Grade Peptide, ≥98% Purity (HPLC)

IGF-1 splice variant E-domain. Satellite cell activation research tool. Lyophilized powder. Lot-specific COA included.

MGF (Mechano Growth Factor), also known as IGF-1Ec, is a synthetic 24-amino-acid peptide corresponding to the unique C-terminal E-domain of the IGF-1Ec splice variant. The peptide was first characterized by Yang and Goldspink in 1996, and its discovery resolved a longstanding question in muscle biology: how muscles “know” they have been damaged and initiate repair at the precise site of injury. MGF is produced locally in skeletal muscle in response to mechanical loading and tissue damage, and it differs structurally from systemic IGF-1 produced by the liver.

The mechanism centers on satellite cell activation. When muscle fibers are mechanically loaded or damaged, they upregulate MGF expression within hours. Locally produced MGF then activates quiescent satellite cells (muscle stem cells residing between the basal lamina and the sarcolemma), prompting them to proliferate and eventually fuse with damaged fibers, donating fresh nuclei to support repair and hypertrophy. The peptide’s unique C-terminal E-domain is responsible for satellite cell activation, and it is believed to act through a receptor system distinct from the classical IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R), though the precise receptor has not been definitively identified.

Research has demonstrated that the MGF E-peptide significantly increases the proliferative lifespan and delays senescence of satellite cells isolated from neonatal and young-adult muscle, but not from old-adult muscle, with a marked ability to enhance satellite cell activation, proliferation, and fusion for muscle repair and maintenance. MGF is also distinguished from IGF-1 in its functional profile: IGF-1 significantly enhances myogenic differentiation, whereas the MGF E-peptide blocks this pathway, resulting in an increased progenitor (stem) cell pool.

Native MGF has an extremely short half-life of approximately 5–7 minutes due to rapid enzymatic degradation in circulation. The synthetic peptide supplied for research is the E-domain fragment itself, not the pegylated construct (PEG-MGF), which is listed separately in this catalog.

Supplied as a sterile-filtered, lyophilized powder for in vitro and preclinical research applications. Each lot is independently verified for purity and identity and ships with a Certificate of Analysis.

Specifications

Note: MGF is a synthetic peptide corresponding to the IGF-1Ec E-domain, not the full-length IGF-1 protein. Suppliers list CAS 12020-86-9 and molecular weights ranging from approximately 2,867 to 2,888 g/mol depending on the calculation method and form. Verify the exact sequence, molecular weight, and purity against the Certificate of Analysis supplied with your lot.

Research applications

MGF is used in laboratory settings to investigate:

• Satellite cell activation and muscle regeneration — MGF E-domain-mediated activation of quiescent satellite cells, proliferation, and fusion with damaged fibers in muscle cell culture and animal models

• Skeletal muscle hypertrophy and repair — experimental models examining muscle regeneration and hypertrophy following mechanical loading or injury, with MGF blocking myogenic differentiation to expand the progenitor cell pool

• Age-dependent satellite cell response — MGF E-peptide extending proliferative lifespan and delaying senescence in satellite cells from neonatal and young-adult donors, but not from old-adult donors, with implications for age-related muscle regeneration research

• Neuroprotection and cognitive research — MGF exhibiting neuroprotective properties across multiple animal models of neurodegeneration, ischemia, and cognitive impairment, with mechanisms involving oxidative stress modulation, mitochondrial protection, and anti-inflammatory signaling

• Cardiac repair research — localized delivery of MGF E-domain peptide improving cardiac function following myocardial infarction in animal models, with the E-domain region suggested to inhibit apoptosis and preserve cardiac function during ischemic injury

• Renal protection research — MGF demonstrating renoprotective effects across kidney injury models by modulating inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrotic signaling pathways

• Diabetic complications research — MGF increasing antioxidant enzyme activity and reducing lipid peroxidation in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, contributing to prevention of diabetic ocular complications

• Analytical method development — LC-MS/MS quantification and reference standard preparation for MGF E-domain analysis in biological matrices

Handling and storage

Reconstitute under aseptic conditions using sterile water or an appropriate aqueous buffer. MGF is soluble in water. Aliquot immediately after reconstitution to avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Lyophilized powder is stable for up to 2 years at −20 °C under sealed, desiccated, light-protected conditions. Reconstituted solutions should be stored at 2–8 °C and used within 14–21 days. Do not freeze reconstituted solution.

For laboratory use by qualified personnel only.

Compliance

For research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. Not for diagnostic, therapeutic, or cosmetic use. Not for use in food, drugs, or household applications.

This product is sold exclusively to laboratories, academic institutions, and qualified research professionals for in vitro and preclinical investigation. Statements on this page have not been evaluated by the FDA. No medical claims are made or implied. By purchasing, you confirm you are 21 or older and that the product will be used solely for lawful laboratory research.

Federal law warning: MGF is not FDA-approved for any indication. As of September 2026, MGF is classified as a research-use-only compound and is not legally available by prescription in the United States. FDA’s May 2026 list places Mechano Growth Factor in Category 3 of the bulk drug substance review. The FDA’s Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (PCAC) is scheduled to review PEG-MGF (the pegylated form) during its February 2027 meeting as one of five peptides under consideration for the 503A Bulks List, alongside GHK-Cu, Melanotan II, Cathelicidin (LL-37), and Dihexa acetate. MGF is prohibited at all times under the 2026 WADA Prohibited List under Class S2 (Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, and Related Substances), where MGF is named alongside IGF-1 as a prohibited growth factor, with sanctions including up to a 4-year suspension for a first violation.