Physical form
- Lyophilised: freeze-dried to a dry powder or cake for stability in transit and storage
- Reconstitution: dissolving lyophilised powder into a liquid diluent before use
- Bacteriostatic water: sterile water containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a preservative
- Aliquot: a measured single-use portion divided out from a larger stock
Analytical terms
- HPLC purity: percentage of total chromatographic peak area attributable to the target peptide
- Mass spectrometry (MS): confirms molecular weight and therefore compound identity
- Net peptide content: proportion of vial mass that is peptide rather than salt, water or counter-ion
- Residual moisture: water remaining after lyophilisation, usually measured by Karl Fischer
- Endotoxin: bacterial pyrogen contamination, measured in endotoxin units
Salt forms and traceability
- TFA salt: trifluoroacetate counter-ion left from HPLC purification
- Acetate salt: acetate counter-ion, often preferred for cell-based work
- Lot or batch number: the unique identifier tying your vial to a specific COA
- COA: certificate of analysis, the document recording the tests run on that lot
Commercial terms
- Strength: the labelled mass of peptide in the vial, for example 5mg or 10mg
- Blend: a single vial containing two or more peptides at a fixed ratio
- Research use only (RUO): supplied for laboratory research, not for human or veterinary use