Methods, agents, and compound screening assays for inducing differentiation of undifferentiated mammalian cells into osteoblasts

摘要

The present invention relates to methods, agents and compound screening assays for inducing differentiation of undifferentiated mammalian cells into osteoblasts. The invention thus provides a method, comprising contacting a compound with a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID No: 194-309; and measuring a compound-polypeptide property related to the differentiation of said cells. The invention further relates to a bone formation enhancing pharmaceutical composition, and the use thereof in treating and/or preventing a disease involving a systemic or local decrease in mean bone density in a subject. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for the in vitro production of bone tissue.

主权项

1. Method for identifying a compound that induces differentiation of undifferentiated mammalian cells into osteoblasts, comprising
(a) contacting a compound with isolated undifferentiated mammalian cells overexpressing a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 237; and (b) measuring in said mammalian cells the activation of a biological pathway producing a biochemical marker indicative of the differentiation of said undifferentiated mammalian cells into osteoblasts.