Brief Description:
Bone is a very dynamic organ as evidenced by the process of bone remodeling
which relies on a delicate balance between bone formation and bone resorption
and is orchestrated by osteoblasts (OB) and
osteoclasts (OC). The coordinated interplay of OB and OC continuously remodels bone through highly
regulated molecular and cellular events such that the entire human skeleton is
replaced over the course of each decade of life. Disruption of the homeostatic
balance of bone removal and replacement can manifest as pathologic bone loss
observed in osteoporosis, periodontal disease, and some inflammatory
arthritides. Dendritic Cell-Specific Transmembrane Protein (DC-Stamp) is located
on the cell surface of OC and plays a key role in OC formation as well as
autoimmunity.
Applications:
This technology is the first described monoclonal antibody to DC-Stamp. It
can be utilized as research tool to study myeloid cell biology and a diagnostic
for immune, autoimmune, inflammatory, or bone disease. Currently
the antibody is being assessed at URMC for it's therapeutic implications in
autoimmune and bone disease.
Advantages:
Polyclonal versions of the DC-Stamp antibody are available and being utilized
worldwide in various research settings to study all the aforementioned
disease states. However, these antibodies exhibit affinity variations and
research results have not been consistent. This monoclonal will not only help
standardize this research, but also provide a means to assess its possible
therapeutic utility.