Vitro and PhosphoSolutions Collaborate to Study Stem Cell Proteomics
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Vitro Diagnostics, Inc. dba Vitro Biopharma has announced establishment of research collaboration with PhosphoSolutions, LLC (Aurora Colorado) to characterize intracellular signaling mechanisms involved with regulation of stem cell growth and differentiation.
Vitro has previously developed 29 adult pancreatic stem cell lines and has developed methodologies to induce differentiation of functional human beta cells from these cell lines.
While phosphoproteins represent only 15-20% of all proteins, they regulate virtually every cellular function, including growth and differentiation. These phospho-specific antibodies can thus be used to assess the activity of a protein, not simply its level of expression.
"We are pleased to be working with Vitro to apply our expertise and antibodies to study intracellular signaling pathways involved in the growth and differentiation of Vitro's stem cells," said Dr. Ron Lickteig, Ph.D., senior scientist at PhosphoSolutions.
Stem cells exhibit immortality through self-renewal properties that are typically activated in normal development.
Early investigations by Vitro and PhosphoSolutions have provided evidence suggesting interaction between these key regulatory pathways through phosphorylation of a well-known protein, (GSK3-b(Beta)), supporting work recently completed by other researchers.
The goals of the collaboration are to further investigate intracellular signaling mechanisms underlying stem cell self-renewal and those pathways involved with differentiation of stem cells into functional cells, including beta cells that synthesize and release insulin.
