Cryopreserved hepatocytes contain the major hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes required to study the four categories of xenobiotic biotransformation: hydrolysis, reduction, oxidation and conjugation. Cryopreserved hepatocytes are ready when you are. A simply quick-thaw protocol is performed to remove cryoprotectant and have viable cells… However, the functionality and the viability of these cells can be impaired by an incorrect thawing procedure… [Read more…]
Maximise availability & reduce variability in hepatocytes studies
Pooled human hepatocytes are a preferred test system in many drug discovery and development applications which require intact cellular systems for in vitro testing. Intact hepatocytes contain the major hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes and co-factors required to evaluate the metabolism and potential drug-drug interactions of drug candidates effectively.
Over the last decade, improvements of cryopreservation technologies make possible using cryopreserved human hepatocyte more conveniently. Pooled cryopreserved hepatocytes reduce the inter-individual differences and polymorphic distribution of liver enzymes. However, this is crucial to carefully select a pool according to its performance but also the application used for. [Read more…]
Stellate cells – models for liver studies
Introduction
Hepatic stellate cells (HSC, also known as perisinusoidal cells or Ito cells), are liver-specific mesenchymal cells found in the space of Disse. HSC maintain interactions with sinusoidal endothelial cells and hepatic epithelial cells. The stellate cells are involved in liver physiology and fibrogenesis (formation of scar tissue in response to liver damage). [Read more…]
5 reliable research tools to study ERG, USP9X and DUB inhibitor in prostate cancer
In a recent paper published in PNAS, Wang et al. show that the inhibition of the deubiquitinase USP9x by the small molecule WP-1130 is able to induce degradation of the transcription factor E-twenty-six related gene (ERG).
What's Trending in the Molecular Biology World? CRISPR !!!
It’s official, CRISPR has officially reached “Breakout” status as a Google search term (see image from Google Trends). The Clustered, Regularly Interspaced, Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) and RNA-guided Cas9 nucleases are an exciting new gene editing tool that allows life science researchers to directly modify the DNA of the organism they study.
Bioactive small molecule sourcing – when quality meets expectations
Bioactive small molecules facilitate numerous types of Life Science research approaches (enzyme substrates, activators and inhibitors, cell signaling modulator, cell culture…). Accessing reasonably priced, well-characterized molecules without jeopardizing quality and purety is sometimes quite challenging.
How is Amylo-Glo a brighter, longer lasting and higher definition Amyloid plaque marker?
In a previous post I discussed 3 new unique research tools for analyzing Amyloid peptide in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Today, I’d like to come back to the unique properties of the Amylo-Glo® fluorescent substrate which makes Amyloid plaque staining “better, easier and faster”.
Focus on the AKT cell signaling pathway…
AKT (Protein Kinase B or PKB), is a serine/threonine-specific protein kinase with known key involvement in glucose metabolism, apoptosis, cell proliferation, transcription and cell migration.
3 fluorogenic substrates for iPS and Stem cells analysis
Methods commonly used for the characterization of iPS or ES cells are based on specific antibody staining. Nevertheless, undifferentiated stem cell populations can also be characterized by high levels of both Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) and Aldehyde Dehydrogenase (ALDH) activities. [Read more…]
Activation & de-activation pathways of hepatic fibrosis
Liver fibrosis is the result of an imbalance between production and dissolution of extracellular matrix. It has been described that Stellate cells, liver myofibroblasts, and bone marrow derived cells converge in a complex interaction with hepatocytes and immune cells to induce response to liver injury.