# References — The Sources Behind the Reading

> The full citation list for Doctor Wolverine's reading of the BPC-157, TB-500, and thymosin beta-4 literature. Twenty-six primary sources with DOIs and PMC links.

## I. How to read this list

The reference list is the spine of the site. Numbers in the body text correspond to entries here. Where a study reports doses, the entry preserves the species, dose, and route exactly as published. Where a paper concerns full-length forty-three-amino-acid thymosin beta-4 rather than the seven-amino-acid TB-500 fragment, the entry says so. The numbering follows order of first appearance across the site. Two entries (14a and 20a) carry a letter suffix because they were added during late editorial passes without renumbering.

## II. Primary sources, in order of appearance

[1] Staresinic M, Sebecic B, Patrlj L, et al. Gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 accelerates healing of transected rat Achilles tendon and in vitro stimulates tendocytes growth. Journal of Orthopaedic Research. 2003;21(6):976-983. doi:10.1016/S0736-0266(03)00110-4 — https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1016/S0736-0266(03)00110-4

[2] Chang CH, Tsai WC, Hsu YH, Pang JHS. Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 Enhances the Growth Hormone Receptor Expression in Tendon Fibroblasts. Molecules. 2014;19(11):19066-19077. doi:10.3390/molecules191119066 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6271067/

[3] Krivic A, Anic T, Seiwerth S, Huljev D, Sikiric P. Achilles detachment in rat and stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157. Journal of Orthopaedic Research. 2006;24(5):982-989. doi:10.1002/jor.20096 — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16583442/

[4] Brcic L, Brcic I, Staresinic M, Novinscak T, Sikiric P, Seiwerth S. Modulatory effect of gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on angiogenesis in muscle and tendon healing. Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. 2009;60 Suppl 7:191-196. PMID 20388964 — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20388964/

[5] He L, Feng D, Guo H, et al. Pharmacokinetics, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of body-protective compound 157 in rats and dogs. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2022;13:1026182. doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.1026182 — https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2022.1026182/full

[6] McGuire FP, Martinez R, Lenz A, Skinner L, Cushman DM. Regeneration or Risk? A Narrative Review of BPC-157 for Musculoskeletal Healing. Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine. 2025;18(12):611-619. doi:10.1007/s12178-025-09990-7 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12446177/

[7] Vasireddi N, Hahamyan H, Salata MJ, et al. Emerging Use of BPC-157 in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: A Systematic Review. HSS Journal. 2025. doi:10.1177/15563316251355551 — https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/15563316251355551

[8] Bajramagic S, Sever M, Rasic F, et al. Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 and Intestinal Anastomoses Therapy in Rats—A Review. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2024;17(8):1081. doi:10.3390/ph17081081 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11357423/

[9] Bock-Marquette I, Saxena A, White MD, Dimaio JM, Srivastava D. Thymosin beta4 activates integrin-linked kinase and promotes cardiac cell migration, survival and cardiac repair. Nature. 2004;432(7016):466-472. doi:10.1038/nature03000 — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15565145/

[10] Smart N, Risebro CA, Melville AAD, et al. Thymosin β4 induces adult epicardial progenitor mobilization and neovascularization. Nature. 2007;445(7124):177-182. doi:10.1038/nature05383 — https://www.nature.com/articles/nature05383

[11] Sosne G, Qiu P, Kurpakus-Wheater M. Thymosin beta 4: A novel corneal wound healing and anti-inflammatory agent. Clinical Ophthalmology. 2007;1(3):201-207. (Studies full-length 43-aa Tβ4, not the 7-aa TB-500 fragment.) — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2701135/

[12] Guarnera G, DeRosa A, Camerini R. Thymosin beta-4 and venous ulcers — European Phase II. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 2007;1112:407-412. (Studies full-length 43-aa Tβ4.) doi:10.1196/annals.1415.018 — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17495250/

[13] Sosne G, Dunn SP, Kim C. Thymosin β4 significantly improves signs and symptoms of severe dry eye in a phase 2 randomized trial. Cornea. 2015;34(5):491-496. (Studies full-length 43-aa Tβ4 as RGN-259.) doi:10.1097/ICO.0000000000000379 — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25826322/

[14] Wang T, Liu Q, Wang M, et al. A first-in-human, randomized, double-blind, single- and multiple-dose, phase I study of recombinant human thymosin β4 in healthy Chinese volunteers. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine. 2021;25(18):8698-8708. (Studies full-length 43-aa rhTβ4 as NL005.) doi:10.1111/jcmm.16693 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8419156/

[14a] Sosne G, Kim C, Kleinman HK. 0.1% RGN-259 (Thymosin β4) Ophthalmic Solution — Phase III in Neurotrophic Keratopathy. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2023;24(1):554. (Studies full-length 43-aa Tβ4 as RGN-259.) doi:10.3390/ijms24010554 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9820614/

[16] Kleinman HK, Sosne G. Thymosin β4 Promotes Dermal Healing. Vitamins and Hormones. 2016;102:251-275. (Studies full-length 43-aa Tβ4.) doi:10.1016/bs.vh.2016.04.005 — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27450738/

[17] Santra M, Chopp M, Zhang ZG, et al. Thymosin β4 mediates oligodendrocyte differentiation by upregulating p38 MAPK. Glia. 2012;60(12):1826-1838. (Studies full-length 43-aa Tβ4.) doi:10.1002/glia.22400 — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23073962/

[18] Goldstein AL, Hannappel E, Sosne G, Kleinman HK. Thymosin β4: a multi-functional regenerative peptide. Basic properties and clinical applications. Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy. 2012;12(1):37-51. doi:10.1517/14712598.2012.634793 — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22074294/

[19] Nguyen J, Verma S, Vuong VT, Queener H, Coulson-Thomas VJ, Gesteira TF. Engineered Tandem Thymosin Peptide Promotes Corneal Wound Healing. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. 2025;66(14):31. doi:10.1167/iovs.66.14.31 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12636994/

[20] Jozwiak M, Bauer M, Kamysz W, Kleczkowska P. Multifunctionality and Possible Medical Application of the BPC 157 Peptide—Literature and Patent Review. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2025;18(2):185. doi:10.3390/ph18020185 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11859134/

[20a] Perovic D, Kolenc D, Bilic V, et al. Stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 can improve the healing course of spinal cord injury in rats. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research. 2019;14(1):199. doi:10.1186/s13018-019-1242-6 — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31266512/

[21] Matek D, Matek I, Staresinic E, et al. Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 as Therapy After Surgical Detachment of the Quadriceps Muscle. Pharmaceutics. 2025;17(1):119. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics17010119 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11768438/

[22] Safer D, Elzinga M, Nachmias VT. Thymosin β4 and Fx, an actin-sequestering peptide, are indistinguishable. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 1991;266(7):4029-4032. (Foundational structural and biochemical Tβ4-actin literature; basis for the LKKTETQ-fragment design that underlies the TB-500 product.) doi:10.1016/S0021-9258(20)64278-8 — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1995650/

[24] Sosne G, Kleinman HK. Thymosin beta 4 and the eye: the journey from bench to bedside. Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy. 2018;18(sup1):99-104. (Studies full-length 43-aa Tβ4.) doi:10.1080/14712598.2018.1486818 — https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14712598.2018.1486818

[25] McGuire FP, Martinez R, Lenz A, Skinner L, Cushman DM. Regeneration or Risk? — combination-study commentary. Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine. 2025;18(12):611-619. (Cited separately where the review's commentary on the absence of a peer-reviewed BPC-157 + TB-500 combination study is the source.) doi:10.1007/s12178-025-09990-7 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12446177/

[26] Demirtas H, Ozer A, Yildirim AK, Dursun AD, Sezen SC, Arslan M. Protective Effects of BPC 157 on Liver, Kidney, and Lung Distant Organ Damage in Rats with Experimental Lower-Extremity Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury. Medicina (Kaunas). 2025;61(2):291. doi:10.3390/medicina61020291 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11857380/

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