An isolated rat liver cancer stem cell line which is named as TW-1 is provided. A method for drug screening by using the isolated rat liver cancer stem cell line is also provided.

The present invention provides NRP1 as a cell surface marker for isolating human cardiomyogenic ventricular progenitor cells (HVPs), in particular progenitor cells that preferentially differentiate into cardiac ventricular muscle cells. Additional HVP cell surface markers identified by single cell sequencing are also provided. The invention provides in vitro methods of the separation of NRP1+ ventricular progenitor cells, and the large scale expansion and propagation thereof. Large clonal populations of isolated NRP1+ ventricular progenitor cells are also provided. Methods of in vivo use of NRP1+ ventricular progenitor cells for cardiac repair or to improve cardiac function are also provided. Methods of using the NRP1+ ventricular progenitor cells for cardiac toxicity screening of test compounds are also provided.

The present invention relates to an avian model enabling the amplification of human or animal circulating tumour cells (CTC) and to the use thereof for monitoring and determining the sensitivity of a patient or an animal suffering from cancer to one or more therapeutic agent(s), as well as for screening novel therapeutic agents intended for the treatment of cancer.

Disclosed is CD31.sup.shed for use as a molecular imaging target in the molecular imaging of an inflammatory condition. Administering the radiolabeled peptide P8RI as CD31.sup.shed ligand in different rat models of inflammation indeed showed that CD31.sup.shed is present on activated cells in a quantity allowing a detectable signal, whereas the noise signal corresponding to CD31.sup.shed present on activated circulating cells and on other organs or cells not involved in inflammation was little. Also disclosed is a labeled CD31.sup.shed ligand and the use thereof as a molecular imaging agent in the molecular imaging of an inflammatory condition. The molecular imaging of inflammatory sites particularly allows determining whether a subject suffers from or is at risk of having an inflammatory condition or is at risk of recurrence of an inflammatory condition after an anti-inflammatory treatment.

It has been discovered that disrupting the stromal capsule restores a better vasculature/tumor perfusion and improve T cells infiltration inside the core of a melanoma. The invention relates to the use of drugs or immunoconjugates that target the transmembrane protease ADAM12 and deplete the cells that express it. Since ADAM12 protein is specifically expressed by stromal cells of the tumor stromal capsule and around vessels in models for prostate cancer, neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer and melanoma, an ADAM12 inhibitor is useful in anti-tumor therapies as an adjuvant. The invention encompasses methods, compositions, and kits containing ADAM12 inhibitors for use in the depletion of ADAM12+ stromal cells in cancer patient, particularly together with anti-tumor compounds and treatments.

Disclosed herein are viral vector delivery systems and methods for the targeted delivery of genes to a predetermined skin cell. The viral vector delivery systems may be adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector delivery systems.

Provided are a transgenic non-human mammal expressing a fusion protein, wherein the fusion protein comprises an ε subunit of an ATP synthase and two distinct fluorescent proteins as a donor and an acceptor for FRET, one of the fluorescent proteins being placed at an amino terminal moiety of the ε subunit and the other being placed at a carboxyl terminal moiety of the ε subunit, and a method of screening for an agent for preventing or treating diseases in a mammal in need thereof, comprising using an above transgenic non-human mammal.

The present disclosure relates to nucleic acid promoter sequences that are able to specifically express genes operatively linked to the promoter in brainstem and spinal motor neuron cells, and to methods for using such promoters to selectively express genes in motor neurons in vitro and in vivo. It is based, at least in part, on the discovery that the nucleic acid of SEQ ID NO: 1 functioned as a motor neuron-specific promoter and was successful in expressing transgenes in motor neuron cells in vivo. The present disclosure also relates to compositions that can increase the activity or expression level of miR-218 and to compositions that can decrease the expression of miR-218 target nucleic acids.

Disclosed are non-naturally occurring zebrafish, such as transgenic zebrafish, which comprise a mutation in the rhodopsin (rho) gene. Also disclosed are methods of identifying compounds useful in treating retinal-specific defects and disorders, such as degeneration. Further disclosed are methods of identifying mutations in the rhodopsin gene that can cause retinal-specific defects.

A protein selected from the group consisting of Chrdl1, Fam3c, Fam3b and a fragment thereof, or a polynucleotide encoding therefor, for use in treating or reducing the risk of heart disease.