Not available outside of the UK & Ireland.

Application

Lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) are characteristic components of the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria. LPS and its lipid A moiety stimulate cells of the innate immune system by the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a member of the Toll-like receptor protein family, which recognizes common pathogen-associated molecular-patterns (PAMPs).

Lipopolysaccharides from Escherichia coli O111:B4 has been used:to stimulate an inflammatory response in porcine liver tissues in-vivo and piglet ileum tissues ex vivo to stimulate Ex vivo natural killer(NK) cells and hepatic B cells to induce arthritis in a standard rabbit model

Biochem/physiol Actions

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are distributed on the outer layer of the membrane and in non-capsulated strains, present on the cell surface. LPS maintains the outer membrane integrity. In addition, it protects the cell from bile salts stress and lipophilic antibiotics.

Preparation Note

The product is soluble in water (5 mg/ml) or cell culture medium (1 mg/ml) yielding a hazy, faint yellow solution. A more concentrated, though still hazy, solution (20 mg/ml) has been achieved in aqueous saline after vortexing and warming to 70-80 ^oC. Lipopolysaccharides are molecules that form micelles in every solvent. Hazy solutions are observed in water and phosphate buffered saline. Organic solvents do not give clearer solutions. Methanol yields a turbid suspension with floaters, while water yields a homogeneously hazy solution.