Isolation tool for viable c-kit expressing cells

Patent Number: 7,285,413

CD-117, otherwise known as c-kit, is the receptor for stem cell factor, a cytokine involved in stimulating a variety of stem cells to cycle. Although c-kit was originally described on hematopoietic stem cells, this receptor has recently been found on numerous stem cell types ranging from liver oval cells to pancreatic duct stem cells. Additionally, c-kit has been found on tumor stem cells.

The current patent teaches methods of isolating cells expressing c-kit by using "A c-kit plasmid targeting vector capable of integrating into the wild type c-kit allele, said vector encoding a chimeric fluorescent protein comprising a nucleolar localisation signal".

This patent could be used for purifying cells in vitro after transfection or manipulation. Primarily this patent seems to have basic research applications.

View this patent on the USPTO website.