Melanotan 1 2mg — Vial Spec, Reconstitution Math & COA

Melanotan 1 2mg Vial Overview and Catalog Availability

A 2mg vial of Melanotan 1 contains 2.0 milligrams of high-purity, lyophilized peptide cake formulated specifically for laboratory research applications. As a synthetic peptide analog of endogenous alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), Melanotan 1 is primarily utilized in preclinical research settings to evaluate melanocortin receptor signaling, cellular melanogenesis, and skin pigmentation responses in vitro.

The 2mg vial capacity is ideal for short-term benchtop protocols, pilot dosage-response runs, or assays where reconstituted solutions must be utilized rapidly to avoid solution-state peptide hydrolysis. Please note: PX1 Research currently supplies Melanotan 1 primarily in a larger Melanotan 1 10mg vial configuration to support high-throughput longitudinal studies. Researchers seeking lower overall mass units can review our full catalog of research peptides for alternative research compounds or utilize custom aliquot planning with larger vial sizes to achieve desired working concentrations.

Physicochemical Profile and Melanocortin Receptor Targets

Melanotan 1 (also known as Afamelanotide or [Ac-Ser-Tyr-Ser-Nle-Glu-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly-Lys-Pro-Val-NH2]) is a linear 13-amino acid synthetic peptide analog. Preclinical literature demonstrates that Melanotan 1 functions as a non-selective agonist across multiple melanocortin receptor subtypes, exhibiting high binding affinity for the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R). MC1R is predominantly expressed on cutaneous melanocytes and plays a foundational role in initiating intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) cascades that drive eumelanin synthesis.

In vitro binding studies indicate that replacing native L-phenylalanine at position 7 with D-phenylalanine, alongside a norleucine substitution at position 4, significantly increases resistance to enzymatic cleavage by serum proteases compared to native α-MSH. In laboratory research models, this structural enhancement yields extended biological activity when evaluating melanocortin activity related to skin pigmentation responses and melanocyte enzymatic pathways.

Reconstitution Mathematics for a 2mg Vial Specification

Accurate reconstitution mathematics are vital to maintaining standardized working concentrations in laboratory experiments. Reconstituting a 2mg (2,000 micrograms) lyophilized vial requires measuring precise volumes of sterile bacteriostatic water or laboratory-grade diluent based on target assay molarity or mass concentration.

Adding 1.0 mL of diluent to a 2mg vial produces a stock concentration of 2.0 mg/mL (2,000 µg/mL or 2.0 µg/µL). Adding 2.0 mL of diluent yields a stock concentration of 1.0 mg/mL (1,000 µg/mL or 1.0 µg/µL). Adding 3.0 mL of diluent creates a diluted stock concentration of 0.67 mg/mL (666.7 µg/mL or ~0.67 µg/µL). For precise volumetric titrations and dilution curves across custom vessel volumes, researchers should utilize our automated peptide reconstitution calculator.

Aliquot Planning and Solution Handling Protocols

To preserve structural stability following initial reconstitution, laboratory protocols should avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Reconstituted peptides in aqueous solution are subject to concentration loss through surface adsorption to standard glass or polypropylene container walls, as well as deamidation and oxidation over prolonged storage.

Upon adding diluent to a 2mg vial, gentle swirl agitation should be used until the lyophilized cake fully dissolves; vortexing or violent mechanical shaking must be avoided to prevent peptide shear stress. Working stock solutions should be divided immediately into single-use micro-aliquots using low-binding microcentrifuge tubes. Aliquots designated for short-term use (under 72 hours) may be kept at 2°C to 8°C, while long-term storage requires deep freezing at -20°C or -80°C.

Analytical Quality Control: Lot-Matched COA, HPLC, and MS

Every research compound distributed by PX1 Research undergoes strict analytical testing to confirm chemical identity, purity, and safety profiles. Quality verification relies on High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to establish target chemical purity and Mass Spectrometry (MS) to verify molecular weight accuracy against calculated theoretical mass.

Because lot integrity is paramount for reproducible preclinical data, PX1 Research provides a lot-matched Certificate of Analysis (COA) with every fill run. In addition to HPLC and MS, our testing matrix includes bacterial endotoxin testing via LAL assay in ISO 17025 accredited facilities, ensuring that background endotoxin levels remain strictly below threshold limits for cell culture and preclinical model systems.

Comparative Analysis: Melanocortin Class Peptides

When designing melanocortin signaling protocols, researchers often compare Melanotan 1 with structural or functional analogs within the melanocortin peptide family. While Melanotan 1 maintains a linear sequence highly selective for MC1R pathways in pigment cell models, Melanotan II is a truncated cyclic lactam analog that exhibits broader central nervous system receptor engagement across MC3R and MC4R subtypes. Similarly, specialized research compounds such as PT-141 (also designated as Bremelanotide) are evaluated primarily in CNS and vascular melanocortin receptor models due to their distinct cyclic binding profiles. Comparing these structural derivatives allows investigators to isolate baseline MC1R-driven melanogenesis from broader systemic melanocortin signaling pathways.

Vial Format Selection: 2mg vs 10mg Configurations

Selecting the appropriate vial mass depends on experimental scope, assay throughput, and budget parameters. A 2mg vial format minimizes reagent waste during low-volume in vitro screen runs or exploratory binding assays where peptide solutions cannot be preserved indefinitely.

Conversely, high-throughput laboratories or multi-week preclinical research models generally benefit from larger vial allocations, such as a 10mg format, to ensure consistent lot controls across extended testing timelines. Laboratories operating high-capacity screening platforms can also explore wholesale lab accounts to coordinate customized batch sizes, bulk volumetric pricing, and unified lot distribution across extended project lifecycles.

Preclinical Applications and In Vitro Melanogenesis Models

In vitro models utilizing primary human melanocytes, B16-F10 melanoma cell lines, or organotypic skin equivalents frequently employ Melanotan 1 to probe melanocortin receptor activity related to skin pigmentation responses. Preclinical studies suggest that binding of Melanotan 1 to MC1R activates adenylate cyclase, resulting in intracellular accumulation of cAMP.

This signaling cascade downstream stimulates microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), which subsequently upregulates expression of key melanogenic enzymes including tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1), and dopachrome tautomerase (DCT). Researchers investigating UV-independent photoprotection and DNA repair pathways utilize these in vitro models to quantify rate-limiting enzyme expression and total melanin synthesis. Further experimental protocols can be reviewed in our growing peptide research library.

Stability, Degradation Pathways, and Solvent Compatibility

Lyophilized Melanotan 1 demonstrates high stability when maintained in climate-controlled desiccation at temperatures between -20°C and -80°C, protected from direct light exposure. Primary structural degradation pathways for synthetic melanocortin peptides include methionine oxidation, aspartic acid isomerization, and photolytic cleavage under prolonged ultraviolet or ambient light exposure.

For reconstitution, sterile bacteriostatic water containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol is recommended for multi-dose laboratory containers to suppress microbial growth. If benzyl alcohol interferes with sensitive cell culture bioassays, sterile 0.9% sodium chloride or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4) may be substituted, provided the resulting solution is used immediately or frozen into single-use aliquots.

Sourcing Standards and Laboratory Compliance at PX1 Research

PX1 Research maintains rigorous manufacturing and analytical protocols to support corporate, academic, and institutional researchers worldwide. All peptides are USA-manufactured in state-of-the-art, GMP-compliant facilities and thoroughly evaluated by independent ISO 17025 accredited testing laboratories.

Orders placed Monday through Friday ship same-day from our primary distribution hubs in California and Arizona. Every package is packed in temperature-controlled packaging to protect lyophilized peptide matrix integrity during transit. All compounds sold by PX1 Research are strictly intended for in vitro laboratory research and preclinical testing.