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.