Interleukin-1 Beta (IL-1 Beta) is a proinflammatory cytokine produced in a variety of cells including monocytes, tissue macrophages, keratinocytes and other epithelial cells. Both IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta bind to the same receptor and have similar if not identical biological properties. These cytokines have a broad range of activities including, stimulation of thymocyte proliferation, by inducing IL-2 release, B-cell maturation and proliferation, mitogenic FGF-like activity and the ability to stimulate the release of prostaglandin and collagenase from synovial cells. However, whereas IL-1 beta is a secreted cytokine, IL-1 alpha is predominantly a cell-associated cytokine.

Recombinant rat Interleukin-1 Beta (rat IL-1 Beta)  produced in E. coli is a single non-glycosylated polypeptide chain containing 152 amino acids. A fully biologically active molecule, recombinant rat IL-1 Beta protein has a molecular mass of 17.3kDa analyzed by reducing SDS-PAGE and is obtained by proprietary chromatographic techniques at ExCell Bio.