Definition

A glycosylated recombinant protein which is chemically identical to or similar to endogenous human interleukin-7 (IL-7) with hematopoietic and immunopotentiating activities. Naturally produced by bone marrow, thymic stromal, and spleen cells, the cytokine interleukin-7 is a hematopoietic growth factor for progenitor B cells and T cells, stimulating proliferation and differentiation of mature T-cells and natural killer (NK) cells. As with glycosylated endogenous proteins, glycosylation of recombinant proteins may fundamentally affect their biological activity, function, clearance from circulation, and antigenicity; glycosylation of recombinant proteins that are chemically identical to similar to endogenous proteins may render protein structures and biological activities that are more similar to those of glycosylated endogenous proteins.