tuftsin comes up often in conversation and rarely with the context attached. Here we lay out the basics in order, then work through the practical considerations.
Updated 2026-06-30. Numbers and descriptions here follow the published literature rather than marketing material.
Development took place at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, where a series of short peptides were designed in the 1980s and 1990s. Selank was selected from variants of tuftsin that showed resistance to plasma peptidases. Russian regulatory approval covers it as an anxiolytic agent given intranasally. Outside that market the compound is normally handled as a research chemical rather than a medicine, and no widely recognised international pharmacopoeial monograph exists. The name Selank is a coined trade designation rather than a systematic chemical name.
Enzymatic stability motivates the extra three residues at the carboxyl end. Native tuftsin is cleaved quickly by circulating aminopeptidases and carboxypeptidases, which limits its duration of action and its usefulness as a tool compound. Extending the chain with proline-rich segments is a common design tactic because proline constrains the backbone and slows proteolysis. The same Pro-Gly-Pro motif appears in other Russian-developed peptides of the era. Whether the full seven-residue chain is required for activity, or whether it acts mainly as a prodrug releasing tuftsin, remains unresolved.
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro. It was designed as a stabilized analogue of tuftsin, a naturally occurring tetrapeptide fragment derived from the immunoglobulin heavy chain. The additional Pro-Gly-Pro segment at the carboxyl terminus is intended to slow enzymatic cleavage. The compound is usually described in the literature as a synthetic peptide with anxiolytic and cognitive-related activity, a label that reflects a research context rather than an approved therapeutic category.
Most published work on selank originates from a small number of research groups in the Russian Federation. A large share of that record appears in Russian-language journals, which limits access for readers who rely on English-indexed databases. Independent replication by laboratories outside the original research network is sparse in publicly available sources. This concentration of origin and language is a frequently noted feature when the compound is summarized in broader reviews of synthetic peptides.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical class | Synthetic heptapeptide | Tuftsin analogue with a C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro tail |
| Amino acid sequence | Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro | Abbreviated TKPRPGP in most catalogues |
| Molecular mass | About 752 Da | Value for the free peptide |
| Solubility | Freely soluble in water | Aqueous solutions are kept cold and used promptly |
| Typical storage | -20 °C, dry, protected from light | Applies to the lyophilised powder before reconstitution |
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide developed in Russia during the 1990s. Researchers at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences designed it as a stabilized analog of tuftsin, a naturally occurring immunomodulatory tetrapeptide. The compound has been studied primarily for its reported anxiolytic and nootropic effects. It remains largely unknown in Western pharmacology and is not approved as a medicine by major regulators such as the FDA or the EMA.
The primary structure of Selank is Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro, corresponding to the molecular formula C33H57N11O9 and a monoisotopic mass of roughly 751.9 daltons. The N-terminal threonine and the arginine residue in the fourth position are shared with tuftsin, which carries the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg. The three additional residues at the C-terminus, Pro-Gly-Pro, extend the chain and are associated with greater resistance to enzymatic degradation. This extension also separates Selank from the shorter parent peptide.
Naming conventions place Selank in the same research family as Semax, another Russian-developed peptide investigated for cognitive effects. The two compounds share a lineage but differ in sequence and in the biological systems proposed as their targets. Semax descends from ACTH fragments, whereas Selank descends from tuftsin. Publications sometimes identify Selank by its full peptide sequence or by laboratory codes rather than one uniform trade name. Because replication outside Russia is limited, reports on its properties are best read alongside the study design and the purity of the material tested.
The compound has a calculated molecular weight near 751.9 daltons and carries a net positive charge at physiological pH because of its arginine residue. It dissolves freely in water and in common aqueous buffers, and typically appears as a white or off-white lyophilized powder. The amide backbone makes the molecule susceptible to peptidases, which limits oral use and favors intranasal or parenteral routes. Nomenclature in the literature varies: the substance is also described by the sequence abbreviation TP-7 and by a Russian trade designation.
Regulatory status differs sharply by region. Selank holds a Russian marketing authorization, where it is supplied mainly as nasal drops, while authorities elsewhere have not approved it for medical use. Material sold internationally is therefore usually labeled as a research chemical rather than a medicine. Peer-reviewed publications come predominantly from Russian laboratories, and sample sizes are generally small. Whether the compound produces comparable effects under independent, well-controlled replication remains an open question that the broader literature has not settled.
Regulatory treatment varies by jurisdiction. In Russia the compound is a registered prescription product, while in the European Union and the United States it is generally handled as a research chemical without a marketing authorization. Suppliers therefore operate outside pharmaceutical oversight, and buyers rely on supplier documentation for purity and identity claims. Chain of custody and third-party testing are the main verification tools. Analysts note that the absence of a pharmacopoeial monograph for research-grade material limits standardization across vendors.
Purity assessment relies mainly on reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Because the peptide lacks a strong chromophore, detection often uses backbone absorbance near 214 nm. Identity is confirmed by mass spectrometry, typically electrospray ionization or matrix-assisted laser desorption, comparing the measured mass against the expected value. Amino acid analysis can verify composition after acid hydrolysis. Diastereomer content and residual counterions are reported less often, although both can influence biological assays.
Lyophilized material is generally stable for extended periods when kept dry at or below minus twenty degrees Celsius. Working solutions are less stable, and common practice is to aliquot and freeze them so that repeated freeze-thaw cycles are avoided. Aqueous solutions are sensitive to pH extremes and to microbial growth, so short-term storage at refrigerator temperature is typical. Oxidation and hydrolysis are the principal degradation routes. Reconstitution with sterile water or a mild buffer is standard, and solutions should be protected from light.
These buildings rarely show up in architectural journals, yet they have become some of the most numerous and conspicuous in the United States today." In 2014, Curbed.com reported, "Despite Pizza Hut's decision to discontinue the form when they made the shift toward delivery, there were still 6,304 traditional units standing as of 2004, each with the shingled roofs and trapezoidal windows signifying equal parts suburban comfort and strip-mall anomie." This building style was common in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The name "red roof" is somewhat anachronistic now since many locations have brown roofs. Dozens of these restaurants have closed or been relocated or rebuilt. Many of the older locations with the red roof design serve beer or have a full bar, music from a jukebox, and in some cases an arcade. In the mid-1980s, the company moved into other formats, including delivery or carryout and the fast food "Express" model. Since 2019, various Pizza Hut locations have been remodeled into Pizza Hut Classic formats, whose interiors emulate those of Pizza Huts in the 1980s and 1990s. In June 2024, some locations reportedly brought back the all-you-can-eat lunch buffet.
== Selected awards == US National Academy of Inventors, Elected Fellow, 2018 T. & A. Higuchi Memorial Lectureship Award, Academy of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Japan, 2018 Distinguished Mentor Award, University of Utah, 2017 Doctor of Philosophy honoris causa, University of Helsinki, Finland, 2014 US National Academy of Engineering, Member, 2011 Honorary professorship, Sichuan University, China, 2007 Distinguished International Scientist Award, Japanese Biomaterials Society, 2006 Chair, Gordon Research Conference on Drug Carriers in Medicine and Biology, 2004 J. Heyrovský Honorary Medal for Merit in the Chemical Sciences, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 2003 Paul Dawson Biotechnology Award, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, 2001 Millennial Pharmaceutical Scientist Award, Millennial World Congress of Pharm. Sciences, 2000 Fellow of Biomaterials Science and Engineering, International Union of Societies of Biomaterials Science and Engineering, 1999 Founders Award, Controlled Release Society, 1999 Czech Learned Society, Honorary Member, 1998 Award of the Presidia of the Czechoslovak and USSR Academies of Sciences 1977 Selected publications and patents
Coiled-coil α helices are highly stable forms in which two or more helices wrap around each other in a "supercoil" structure. Coiled coils contain a highly characteristic sequence motif known as a heptad repeat, in which the motif repeats itself every seven residues along the sequence (amino acid residues, not DNA base-pairs). The first and especially the fourth residues (known as the a and d positions) are almost always hydrophobic; the fourth residue is typically leucine – this gives rise to the name of the structural motif called a leucine zipper, which is a type of coiled-coil. These hydrophobic residues pack together in the interior of the helix bundle. In general, the fifth and seventh residues (the e and g positions) have opposing charges and form a salt bridge stabilized by electrostatic interactions. Fibrous proteins such as keratin or the "stalks" of myosin or kinesin often adopt coiled-coil structures, as do several dimerizing proteins. A pair of coiled-coils – a four-helix bundle – is a very common structural motif in proteins. For example, it occurs in human growth hormone and several varieties of cytochrome. The Rop protein, which promotes plasmid replication in bacteria, is an interesting case in which a single polypeptide forms a coiled-coil and two monomers assemble to form a four-helix bundle.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
miRBase is considered to be the gold-standard miRNA database—it stores miRNA sequences detected by thousand of experiments. In this database each miRNA is associated with a miRNA precursor and with one or two mature miRNA (-5p and -3p). In the past it had always been said that the same miRNA precursor generates the same miRNA sequences. However, the advent of deep sequencing has now allowed researchers to detect a huge variability in miRNA biogenesis, meaning that from the same miRNA precursor many different sequences can be generated potentially have different targets, or even lead to opposite changes in mRNA expression.
100. Tirzepatide. Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2006–. 2026 Aug 15. Tirzepatide is usually undetectable in breastmilk with subcutaneous doses of up to 5 mg. Furthermore, absorption by the infant is unlikely because it is probably partially destroyed in the infant’s gastrointestinal tract and poorly absorbed orally. If a mother requires tirzepatide, it is not a reason to discontinue breastfeeding. Until more data become available, tirzepatide should be used with caution during breastfeeding, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant. Some experts recommend closely monitoring of infant growth and developmental milestones and the nutritional status of the lactating woman.[1]
First, a three-dimensional stranded structure is assembled, mostly composed of the amino acids glycine and proline. This is the collagen precursor procollagen. Then, procollagen is modified by the addition of hydroxyl groups to the amino acids proline and lysine. This step is important for later glycosylation and the formation of collagen's triple helix structure. Because the hydroxylase enzymes performing these reactions require vitamin C as a cofactor, a long-term deficiency in this vitamin results in impaired collagen synthesis and scurvy. These hydroxylation reactions are catalyzed by the enzymes prolyl 4-hydroxylase and lysyl hydroxylase. The reaction consumes one ascorbate molecule per hydroxylation. Collagen synthesis occurs both intracellularly and extracellularly. The most common form of collagen is fibrillary collagen. Another common form is meshwork collagen, which is often involved in the formation of filtration systems. All types of collagen are triple helices, but differ in the make-up of their alpha peptides created in step 2. Below we discuss the formation of fibrillary collagen.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== Overmedicalization and lack of objective biological tests === It has been argued that psychiatry confuses disorders of the mind with disorders of the brain that can be treated with drugs, an approach that overly medicalizes mental distress For example, Cacciatore and Frances (2022) argue that the diagnosis of Prolonged Grief Disorder pathologizes grief and offends "the dignity of loving relationships". Double argues that critical psychiatry is anti-reductionist. Rashed argues new mental health science has moved beyond this reductionist critique by seeking integrative and biopsychosocial models for conditions and that much of critical psychiatry now exists with orthodox psychiatry but notes that many critiques remain unaddressed. Further, the scientific validity of psychiatric diagnosis has been challenged due to the lack of objective biological markers. In 2013, Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), stated that the DSM lacks validity because diagnoses are based on consensus rather than objective laboratory measures. Additionally, the serotonin "chemical imbalance" theory traditionally used to market antidepressants is no longer considered substantiated, leading to accusations of systemic pharmaceutical marketing fraud. Due to the absence of objective biological pathology (such as injury or biomarkers), prominent critics such as Thomas Szasz and Peter Breggin have characterized the field as a pseudoscience or a form of social control masquerading as medicine.
==== Proboscidean research ==== A study on the morphology of the astragalus and calcaneus in extant and extinct proboscideans, providing evidence of morphological changes of ankles bones related to increase of the body mass and evolution of the columnar posture of members of the group, is published by Tetaert et al. (2026). A study on humeri of extant and extinct proboscideans, providing evidence of different impact of compressive loading on humeri representing slender and robust morphotypes, is published by Wagner, Chatar & Hennekam (2026). Semprebon, Sanders & Uttecht (2026) reconstruct diets and habitats of Moeritherium and Phiomia on the basis of their tooth wear, interpreting the former taxon as feeding on soft vegetation and likely frequenting aquatic habitats, and interpreting the latter taxon as likely living in a terrestrial forest or woodland environment. Alquézar-Blesa et al. (2026) study the feeding behaviors of Miocene Gomphotherium and Prodeinotherium from Artesilla and Tarazona (Spain), reporting evidence from the study of tooth wear indicative of a greater degree of dietary flexibility than indicated by tooth morphology, including evidence of grass consumption. Bader, Gasparik & Segesdi (2026) compare the microanatomy of femur of Deinotherium giganteum and mammoths, reporting evidence of differences that might be linked to distinct weight-bearing adaptations. Description of new fossil material of Mammut shansiense from the Yushe Basin (China) and a study on the phylogenetic affinities of the species is published by Zhang et al.
== Diagnosis == Perichondral hematoma and consequently cauliflower ear are diagnosed clinically. This means that the medical provider will make the diagnosis by using elements of the history of the injury (examples: participation in contact sports, trauma to the ear, previous similar episodes) and combine this with findings on physical exam (examples: tenderness to the area, bruising, deformation of the ear contours) to confirm the diagnosis and decide on the appropriate treatment for the patient.
== Syndromes == Bracken is known to have various biological effects, such as carcinogenicity and its well-defined syndromes in livestock and laboratory animals. Ptaquiloside is proved to be responsible for several of these biological effects, some of which are species specific.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Selank is a seven-amino-acid peptide built from the tuftsin sequence plus a Pro-Gly-Pro tail. It is produced by chemical synthesis rather than extracted from a natural source. The free peptide is usually supplied as a lyophilised powder or in an aqueous formulation.
Tuftsin is a natural tetrapeptide derived from the Fc portion of immunoglobulin G. Selank retains that tetrapeptide at its N-terminus and adds three residues to improve resistance to enzymatic breakdown. The relationship is structural, and the two molecules are not interchangeable in experimental work.
It holds a product registration in Russia for intranasal use as an anxiolytic. Registrations of that kind are not automatically accepted by regulators elsewhere. In most other countries it is treated as an unapproved substance or a research material.
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro, designed as a metabolically stabilized analogue of the endogenous tetrapeptide tuftsin. It has been studied mainly against anxiety-related and cognitive endpoints rather than as an approved medicine in most jurisdictions.