Thymosin Alpha-1
Also known as Thymosin α1, Tα1, Thymalfasin, TA1
Thymosin Alpha-1 (Tα1 / thymalfasin) is a defined 28-residue, N-terminally acetylated thymic peptide derived from prothymosin alpha, studied in immune-modulation research. A research-use profile.
Thymosin alpha-1 is the sharply-defined counterpart to a thymus preparation like thymalin: where thymalin is a multi-component fraction, thymosin alpha-1 is a single, exact peptide — 28 residues, N-terminally acetylated, derived from the precursor protein prothymosin alpha.
That precision is why it has a distinct identity in the immune-research literature and even a formal drug name, thymalfasin. This page describes the peptide's structure and lineage and the immune-modulation research context it appears in, without making therapeutic or outcome claims.
Thymosin alpha-1 is a defined 28-residue peptide, notable for being N-terminally acetylated. It corresponds to a fragment of the larger precursor protein prothymosin alpha, from which it is derived. It is a single, well-defined sequence — the acidic, thymus-associated peptide assigned the drug name thymalfasin.
A defined peptide from a larger precursor
Thymosin alpha-1 is a 28-residue peptide that corresponds to a fragment of prothymosin alpha, a larger and highly acidic protein. The mature peptide carries an acetyl group at its N-terminus — a real structural detail that distinguishes it and that a good certificate of analysis will reflect.
Because the sequence is defined and acidic, it behaves as a specific, identifiable molecule rather than a mixture — the opposite of a preparation-style material. That makes its characterization by mass spectrometry and HPLC comparatively clean for a peptide of its length.
The immune-modulation research context
The thymus is where T-cells mature, and thymosin alpha-1 is studied most prominently in immune-modulation research — work concerning how immune-cell populations are regulated. This is the research area it is associated with; naming it describes where scientists have examined the peptide, not an effect promised to anyone.
It is often discussed alongside the thymic preparation thymalin, which shares the thymic-immune theme, and alongside other immune-context research peptides such as LL-37 and KPV.
Why the naming varies
Thymosin alpha-1 travels under several names — Tα1, TA1, and the assigned drug name thymalfasin among them. They refer to the same defined 28-residue peptide. Recognizing the synonyms helps when comparing certificates and literature, since a single molecule can appear under any of them.
These are research areas the compound is associated with in the literature — not medical claims or intended uses.
Handling & storage
Supplied lyophilized. Kept sealed and cold; in research settings it is reconstituted with bacteriostatic water only when a protocol requires it, then refrigerated. Handle per accepted laboratory practice.
Verify a certificate by lot →Common questions
It is a defined 28-residue peptide, N-terminally acetylated, corresponding to a fragment of the precursor protein prothymosin alpha.
Yes. Thymalfasin is the assigned drug name for the same 28-residue peptide; it also appears as Tα1 or TA1. All refer to one molecule.
Thymosin alpha-1 is a single, defined synthetic peptide with an exact sequence, while thymalin is a multi-component thymic preparation. They share a thymic-immune theme but are structurally very different.
This monograph is a research-use reference. It describes composition and the contexts in which the compound has been studied — it is not medical advice, a description of effects, or a recommendation for use. Sold strictly for laboratory and research use; not for human or animal consumption.