Used in biomedical research to activate protein kinase C (PKC), which plays a key role in cellular signaling pathways related to cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. Commonly applied in studies of immune cell activation, particularly to stimulate T cells and mimic antigen-induced responses. Also utilized in cancer research to investigate tumor promotion and cell proliferation mechanisms. Due to its potent biological activity, it serves as a tool compound in signal transduction studies and assay development.