Antibodies and antigen-binding antibody fragments that bind to GPIIb/IIIa and chimeric polypeptides comprising these binding molecules are disclosed. Some of these antibodies and antigen-binding antibody fragments preferentially bind GPIIb/IIIa on activated platelets while others do not show a preference for binding GPIIb/IIIa on resting versus activated platelets. Some of these antibodies and antibody fragments do not inhibit the interaction of GPIIb/IIIa with fibrinogen, while some others do. The disclosed antibodies do not induce platelet activation. Some of these antibodies and antigen-binding antibody fragments are useful in targeting therapeutic agents such as dotting factors to platelets while others are useful in reducing platelet aggregation and/or thrombus formation.

This invention relates to brown adipose tissue (BAT) progenitor cells and methods for isolating BAT progenitor cells from skeletal muscle. BAT progenitor cell surface markers and medium and agents for inducing cell differentiation into brown adipocytes are also provided. In some embodiments, the BAT progenitor cell expresses a first cell surface marker associated with endothelial cells, the first cell surface marker being detectable in an antibody based assay using a first antibody. In addition, the BAT progenitor cell can be substantially free of a second cell surface marker associated with endothelial cells, the second cell surface marker being substantially undetectable in said antibody based assay using a second antibody. The BAT progenitor cell can also be substantially free of additional cell surface markers.

Methods, devices, systems, and apparatuses are provided for the image analysis of measurement of biological samples.

The activity of a number of therapeutic antibodies is mediated in part by antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). An engineered effector cell line expressing the low affinity Fc receptor, FcγR111a (CD16), that responds to ligation of the Fc moiety of antibody bound to the specific antigen expressed on target cells by activation of a NFAT responsive reporter gene is described. In this cell line the firefly luciferase (FL) reporter gene is regulated by a novel synthetic chimeric promoter containing binding sites for NF-AT, AP1, NFkB, and STAT5 that confers improved sensitivity, an improved dynamic range, an improved tolerance to human serum and a reduced incubation time, relative to engineered effector cell lines that express a NFAT regulated reporter-gene, when used in an ADCC assay together with engineered target cells. The target cells have been engineered to over-express a constant high level of the specific antigen recognized by the therapeutic antibody, and homologous control cells have been developed in which the gene encoding the specific drug target has been invalidated by genomic editing. Target cells that have been engineered to over-express a constant level of CD20 together with homologous control cell line, in which the gene encoding CD20 has been invalidated, have been used to quantify the ADCC activity of Rituxan with a high degree of precision and with minimal interference from human serum.

The present teachings relate generally to conjugates and methods for imaging a tumor microenvironment in a patient, and to conjugates and methods for imaging cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the tumor microenvironment of a patient. The present teachings relate generally to method of making conjugates comprising a fibroblast activation protein (FAP) inhibitor.

A cell-capturing substrate, methods of using the cell-capturing substrate that allow for label-free cell separation, and kits that incorporate the cell-capturing substrate.

Fibronectin type III domains (FN3) that specifically bind to CD8A, related polynucleotides capable of encoding CD8A-specific FN3 domains, cells expressing the FN3 domains, as well as associated vectors, and detectably labeled FN3 domains are useful in therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

In spite of significant efforts to identify β-cell-specific markers for β-cell imaging and purification, progress has been limited. Herein is disclosed a novel biomarker of human pancreatic β-cells, CD39L3 (also known as ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-3 (NTPDase3)). Disclosed are compositions and methods for purifying and imaging β-cell using anti-CD39L3 antibodies.

Disclosed is a method for detecting regulatory dendritic cells, the method comprising step a: detecting the presence or absence of one or more types of molecules on a cell surface in a cell population that comprises regulatory dendritic cells; and step b: identifying regulatory dendritic cells on the basis of the presence or absence of the one or more types of molecules. Also disclosed is a method for producing a cell population enriched for regulatory dendritic cells, the method comprising step 1: detecting the presence or absence of one or more types of molecules on a cell surface in a cell population that comprises regulatory dendritic cells; and step 2: obtaining a cell population enriched for regulatory dendritic cells on the basis of the presence or absence of the one or more types of molecules. Further disclosed is a cell population enriched for regulatory dendritic cells obtained by the method.

Provided herein are peptides selective for combinations of Mcl-1/Bfl-1/Bcl-xL. Also provided are compositions containing these polypeptides and methods of using such peptides in the treatment of cancer that include administering to a subject one of the polypeptides.