MURINE MODEL FOR STUDYING MEGAKARYOCYTE GENETICS

Despite the biological importance of platelets in both health and disease, remarkably little is known about the development of megakaryocytes (cells of the bone marrow) and platelet formation. The study of megakaryocyte development has been slow due to a lack of good animal models and tissue culture cell lines. To address these problem, researchers at UCSF have developed a number of new mouse lines which should allow for the rapid advancement of the study of magekaryocyte development.

The UCSF invention should allow for:

• Generation of megakaryocyte-restricted cell lines for use in culture.
• Cell-sorting analysis of megakaryocyte lineage cells.
• Developing of vectors for megakaryocyte-related and other types of gene therapy.
• Studying of the genetics of megakaryocyte development in the whole animal.

This invention was accomplished through the construction of a number of transgenic mouse lines where each expresses an avian retroviral receptor (tva) under a different megakaryocyte-specific promoter. The production of this receptor allows for infection of cell lines by specific avian retroviruses. These mice are available for licensing.

If you would like to receive further information about this technology and potential licensing opportunities, please contact:

Joel B. Kirschbaum, Ph.D.
Director & Senior Technology Portfolio Manager
(415) 353-4462 phone
(415) 348-1579 fax
Joel Kirschbaum, Ph.D.

Reference: OTM Case #SF97-154