Hes6 as a marker of pancreatic endocrine cells

• US 7,776,593 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Burnham Institute For Medical Research, Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Tyrberg, Bjoern, Levine, Fred
• Primary Examiner(s): ZARA, JANE J
• Application Number:
  US11/835,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20080119435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 435/6, 435/325, 435/363, 435/366, 435/370, 436/501, 530/388.24, 530/387.9, 536/23.5
• US Class Current: 435/370
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 5/00 Drugs for disorders of the endocrine system
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6881 for tissue or cell typing, e.g. human leukocyte antigen [HLA] probes
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2600/158 Expression markers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/507 Pancreatic cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5073 Stem cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/56966 Animal cells

Abstract

The present invention provides methods of identifying endocrine stem and progenitor cells.

Claims

1. A method for identifying endocrine stem cells, comprising the steps of

(a) contacting at least one test cell with a detectable agent specific for Hes6;

(b) detecting the presence of Hes6 (Hairy/Enhancer of Split

     6);

(c) identifying said test cell as an endocrine stem cell if the presence of Hes6 is detected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said detectable agent comprises an anti-Hes6 antibody or a nucleic acid complementary to mRNA encoding Hes6.