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AssigneesUniversity of South Florida, University of Chile
InventorsThomas B. Freeman, Pablo Caviedes, Raul Caviedes
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The subject invention pertains to tumor cell lines useful for increasing the proliferation potential of any human or animal cell in culture, thereby providing immortalized or continuous cell lines and cultures. The invention also concerns proliferation factors, and compositions containing the factors, which are capable of increasing the proliferation potential of any human or other animal cell in culture. The subject invention further pertains to a method for proliferating cells in culture by containing cells with the proliferation factors. The proliferated cells can range in plasticity and can include, for example, blast cells, fertilized ova, non-fertilized gametes, embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, precursor or progenitor cells, and highly specialized cells. Optionally, the cells can be induced to cease proliferation. The proliferated cells of the subject invention are useful for cell therapy, cell/gene therapy, biological production of molecules, and as in vitro models for research, toxicity testing, and drug development.
An isolated proliferation factor, wherein said proliferation factor is obtained from the UCHT1 rat thyroid cell line, or a biologically active fragment, analogue, or derivative thereof.
A UCHT1 rat thyroid cell line, wherein said cell line increases the proliferation potential of a target cell contacted with cells of said UCHT1 rat thyroid cell line.
A composition comprising a factor obtained from a UCHT1 rat thyroid cell line, wherein said factor induces the proliferation of cells contacted with said factor.
A method for inducing proliferation of cells comprising providing a factor obtainable from a UCHT1 rat thyroid cell line and contacting one or more target cells with the factor, wherein the factor induces the proliferation of the one or more target cells.
A method for proliferating cells by contacting one or more target cells with conditioned medium prepared by the UCHT1 rat thyroid cell line, wherein the conditioned medium increases the proliferation potential of the one or more target cells.
A method for producing a continuous cell line, said method comprising providing a factor obtainable from a UCHT1 rat thyroid cell line and contacting one or more target cells with the factor for a period of time sufficient to immortalize the one or more target cells, wherein the factor increases the proliferation potential of the one or more target cells such that the one or more target cells proliferate indefinitely.
A method for producing a continuous cell line by contacting one or more target cells with conditioned medium prepared by the UCHT1 rat thyroid cell line for a period of time within the range of about 1 month to about 8 months, wherein the conditioned medium increases the proliferation potential of the one or more target cells such that the one or more target cells proliferate indefinitely.
A method for transplanting cells to a patient in need thereof, said method comprising administering a plurality of cells to the patient, wherein the plurality of cells have been proliferated by contacting the plurality of cells with a factor obtainable from a UCHT1 rat thyroid cell line, wherein the factor increases the proliferation potential of the plurality of cells.
A method for determining the effect of an agent on one or more cells, said method comprising proving a factor obtainable from a UCHT1 rat thyroid cell line, contacting the one or more cells with the factor, exposing the one or more cells to an agent to be tested, and determining the effect of the agent on the one or more cells, wherein the factor increases the proliferation potential of the one or more cells.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.