An improved method of purification of transforming growth factor, type beta from platelets

Platelets contain high concentrations of TGF-beta and for this reason have been the primary source of materials for its purification. The yield from acid-ethanol extracts of platelets has been reported to be 0.5 microgram/unit of platelets. We have developed a method which yields approximately 2 micrograms/unit of platelets from acid-ethanol extracts. The use of an ion-exchange column followed by RPLC results in a homogeneous product in less time and with fewer manipulations than the previously published methods. A tritiated thymidine incorporation assay using the CC164 cell line is described for the quantitation of TGF-beta.