Abstract: A problem of the present invention is to provide a skin collagen production-promoting agent without safety problems. Another problem of the present invention is to provide a skin collagen production-promoting food or drink product and a skin collagen production-promoting cosmetic product containing such a substance. TGF-? and/or a TGF-? degradation product, which is acquired by degrading TGF-? with a protease such as pepsin, pancreatin, etc., are used as a skin collagen production-promoting agent or the active ingredient of a skin collagen production-promoting food or drink product and a skin collagen production-promoting cosmetic product. The aforementioned TGF-? and/or TGF-? degradation product have an effect of increasing the collagen content of the skin.

Abstract: A problem of the present invention is to provide a skin collagen production-promoting agent without safety problems. Another problem of the present invention is to provide a skin collagen production-promoting food or drink product and a skin collagen production-promoting cosmetic product containing such a substance. TGF-? and/or a TGF-? degradation product, which is acquired by degrading TGF-? with a protease such as pepsin, pancreatin, etc., are used as a skin collagen production-promoting agent or the active ingredient of a skin collagen production-promoting food or drink product and a skin collagen production-promoting cosmetic product. The aforementioned TGF-? and/or TGF-? degradation product have an effect of increasing the collagen content of the skin.

Abstract: A problem of the present invention is to provide a skin collagen production-promoting agent without safety problems. Another problem of the present invention is to provide a skin collagen production-promoting food or drink product and a skin collagen production-promoting cosmetic product containing such a substance. TGF-? and/or a TGF-? degradation product, which is acquired by degrading TGF-? with a protease such as pepsin, pancreatin, etc., are used as a skin collagen production-promoting agent or the active ingredient of a skin collagen production-promoting food or drink product and a skin collagen production-promoting cosmetic product. The aforementioned TGF-? and/or TGF-? degradation product have an effect of increasing the collagen content of the skin.

Abstract: A milk protein fraction having following properties (1) to (4) is excellent in bone resorption inhibitory effect, and is useful for preventing or treating bone diseases: (1) the milk protein fraction is derived from milk; (2) the milk protein fraction is a fraction containing a protein having a molecular weight of 12,000 to 16,000 Daltons; (3) the milk protein fraction has a basic amino acid content of 18 to 20 wt % in the constitutional amino acid composition, and the ratio of the amount of a basic amino acid(s) to the amount of an acidic amino acid(s) is 0.7 to 0.9; and (4) the milk protein fraction has a bone resorption inhibitory effect.

Abstract: A skin collagen production-promoting agent includes a milk protein fraction having following properties (a) to (c) as an active ingredient: (a) being derived from milk, (b) containing proteins having a molecular weight determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of 6000 to 150,000 daltons, and (c) containing 12 to 14 wt % of basic amino acids with respect to the constituent amino acid composition, and having a basic amino acid/acidic amino acid ratio of 0.5 to 0.7.

Abstract: Skin quality is improved by orally administering a cystatin and/or a degraded product of cystatin in an amount of 10 ?g/day or more per adult, or applying a composition that includes a cystatin and/or a degraded product of cystatin in an amount of 0.001 to 2 wt % based on a total amount of the composition.

Abstract: Disclosed is a bone-reinforcing agent which comprises a milk protein fraction having the following properties (1) to (4): (1) the milk protein fraction is derived from milk; (2) the milk protein fraction is a fraction containing a protein component having a molecular weight of 6,000 to 150,000 Daltons; (3) the milk protein fraction has a basic amino acid content of 12 to 14 wt % in the constitutional amino acid composition, and the ratio of the amount of a basic amino acid(s) to the amount of an acidic amino acid(s) is 0.5 to 0.7; and (4) the milk protein fraction has an activity of accelerating the calcification in an osteoblast.

Abstract: A determination method quantifies a specific protein or peptide contained in a trace amount with high accuracy and in a simple manner without the need of using any expensive reagent. A protein or peptide of interest can be quantified by LC/MS/MS by using, as an internal standard, a protein or peptide including an amino acid sequence having the reshuffling the binding order of amino acid residues in the amino acid sequence for the protein or peptide of interest.

Abstract: Disclosed is a substance capable of promoting the repair of a fractured part in a fracture caused by an external force, fatigue or a disease. Also disclosed is a method for producing the substance. Further disclosed is a product capable of promoting the repair of a fracture, such as a food, a beverage and a feed, which comprises the fracture repair promoter. Specifically disclosed is a fracture repair promoter comprising, as an active ingredient, a fraction containing a milk-derived basic protein. In the promoter, the fraction containing the milk-derived basic protein is produced by contacting milk or a milk-derived raw material with a cation exchange resin to cause the adsorption of the basic protein on the cation exchange resin and eluting a fraction adsorbed on the resin by means of an eluent having a salt concentration of 0.1 to 1.0 M.

Abstract: Provided are: an agent for promoting growth hormone-secretion, containing a milk-derived basic protein fraction as an active ingredient, with the promotion of growth hormone-secretion being mediated by the promotion of secretion of ghrelin having an effect for promoting growth hormone-secretion; and a method of promoting the secretion of ghrelin by using a milk-derived basic protein fraction. The agent for promoting growth hormone-secretion may be ingested on a daily basis and is highly safe even with its ingestion for a long period.

Abstract: A determination method quantifies a specific protein or peptide contained in a trace amount with high accuracy and in a simple manner without the need of using any expensive reagent. A protein or peptide of interest can be quantified by LC/MS/MS by using, as an internal standard, a protein or peptide including an amino acid sequence having the reshuffling the binding order of amino acid residues in the amino acid sequence for the protein or peptide of interest.

Abstract: Disclosed is a bone-reinforcing agent which comprises a milk protein fraction having the following properties (1) to (4): (1) the milk protein fraction is derived from milk; (2) the milk protein fraction is a fraction containing a protein component having a molecular weight of 6,000 to 150,000 Daltons; (3) the milk protein fraction has a basic amino acid content of 12 to 14 wt % in the constitutional amino acid composition, and the ratio of the amount of a basic amino acid(s) to the amount of an acidic amino acid(s) is 0.5 to 0.7; and (4) the milk protein fraction has an activity of accelerating the calcification in an osteoblast.

Abstract: Disclosed is an osteoblast differentiation promoting and osteoclast differentiation inhibiting agent which comprises a milk protein fraction having the following characteristics (1) to (4): (1) the milk protein fraction is derived from milk; (2) the milk protein fraction is a fraction containing a protein component having a molecular weight of 75,000 to 85,000 Daltons; (3) the milk protein fraction has a basic amino acid content of 13 to 15 wt % in the constitutional amino acid composition, and has a basic amino acid/acidic amino acid of 0.5 to 0.7; and (4) the milk protein fraction has an osteoblast differentiation promoting effect and an osteoclast differentiation inhibiting.

Abstract: A milk protein fraction having following properties (1) to (4) is excellent in bone resorption inhibitory effect, and is useful for preventing or treating bone diseases: (1) the milk protein fraction is derived from milk; (2) the milk protein fraction is a fraction containing a protein having a molecular weight of 12,000 to 16,000 Daltons; (3) the milk protein fraction has a basic amino acid content of 18 to 20 wt % in the constitutional amino acid composition, and the ratio of the amount of a basic amino acid(s) to the amount of an acidic amino acid(s) is 0.7 to 0.9; and (4) the milk protein fraction has a bone resorption inhibitory effect.

Abstract: Disclosed is an osteoclastogenesis inhibitory agent which comprises a milk protein fraction having the following properties (1) to (4) and the agent is excellent in an osteoclastogenesis inhibitory effect and useful for preventing or treating bone diseases: (1) the milk protein fraction is derived from milk; (2) the milk protein fraction is a fraction containing a protein having a molecular weight of 80,000 to 85,000 Daltons; (3) the milk protein fraction has a basic amino acid content of 16 to 18 wt % in the constitutional amino acid composition, and the ratio of the amount of a basic amino acid(s) to the amount of an acidic amino acid(s) is 0.65 to 0.85; and (4) the milk protein fraction has an osteoclastogenesis inhibitory effect .

Abstract: The production of RANKL may be inhibited by orally ingesting a milk-derived basic protein. Thus, a RANKL production inhibitor containing a milk-derived basic protein fraction as an active ingredient; a therapeutic agent for a metabolic bone disease and a therapeutic agent for an immune disease each containing the RANKL production inhibitor; and a food/beverage and a feed each containing a specified amount of the RANKL production inhibitor and being characterized by inhibiting the production of RANKL have a remarkable effect of inhibiting the production of RANKL, can be ingested on a daily basis, and exhibit high safety even when being ingested over a long period.

Abstract: Provided are: an agent for promoting growth hormone-secretion, containing a milk-derived basic protein fraction as an active ingredient, with the promotion of growth hormone-secretion being mediated by the promotion of secretion of ghrelin having an effect for promoting growth hormone-secretion; and a method of promoting the secretion of ghrelin by using a milk-derived basic protein fraction. The agent for promoting growth hormone-secretion may be ingested on a daily basis and is highly safe even with its ingestion for a long period.