QHow do you ensure the quality and purity of compounds?
AThe structure of compounds is confirmed through HNMR and purity is verified through HPLC or LCMS, with most compounds having a purity of over 98%. Each batch comes with a Certificate of Analysis (COA), and testing reports are also displayed on our official website.
QHow much inhibitor should be added in cell experiments?
AIt is recommended to refer to literatures of experiments conducted using the same model. In addition, it is also necessary to determine the optimal working concentration (concentration gradient) through pre-experiments by constructing a dose-response curve. Similarly, the optimal incubation time (time gradient) should be determined through a time-course experiment. Moreover, the amount of inhibitor used is influenced by various factors, including the accessibility of the target, cell permeability, incubation time, cell type, and others. We recommend determining the initial concentration of the inhibitor by referring to the literatures.
If the Ki or IC50 are reported, it is recommended to start with 5-10 times their reported values to achieve the optimal inhibition of enzyme activity.
If the Ki or IC50 are unknown, the inhibitor concentrations should be tested, and the Ki value can be calculated using Michaelis-Menten kinetics.
Typically, the solvent used for dissolving the inhibitor is used as a control to eliminate the non-specific effects of the solvent.
QHow to store inhibitor products?
ASolid-form products can be stored at -20°C for more than 3 years.
Stock solutions are typically stored at -80°C and can be stored for more than 1 year. It is recommended to aliquot the product to avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles.
For short-term storage, samples can be kept at 4°C for more than one week.
QHow to deal with the insoluble impurities in the product?
AInsoluble impurities, which do not affect the product activity, are recommended to filter out or remove. We will investigate to confirm whether the impurity was introduced during packaging or if it is inherent to the product itself.
QCan the inhibitor DMSO stock solution be directly diluted with buffer to create a gradient?
AIn most cases, it can dissolve. However, sometimes organic reagents may precipitate when directly added to an aqueous medium. It is recommended to first dilute the inhibitor with DMSO to form a gradient, and then add the diluted inhibitor to the buffer or cell culture medium. Some inhibitors may only dissolve in the aqueous phase at their working concentrations.
For example, if a final concentration of 1 μM is desired in cell experiments, the 10 mM DMSO stock solution can be diluted to 1 mM with DMSO, and then 2 μL can be drawn and added to 2 mL of saline/PBS/cell culture medium, resulting in a final concentration of 1 μM.
To avoid precipitation of the drug, it is recommended to preheat the mother liquor and culture medium to 37°C before dilution to avoid serious precipitation caused by low temperature. If precipitation occurs during the dilution process, it is suggested to use ultrasonic heating to redissolve the compound.