Abstract: A method for selecting combinations of drugs for treatment of diseases that arise from deranged signaling pathways is disclosed. The method involves measuring the activity states for signaling proteins in a diseased cell and determining whether the activity states are different from the activity states observed for a reference cell such as a normal cell. Based on the observed differences, combinations of two or more drugs are selected to reduce these differences. Treatment of a subject with the combinations restores the activity states of the signaling proteins of the deranged disease-associated signaling pathways toward the activity states observed in the reference cell. Since the diseased cell and the reference cell can both be obtained from the same subject, combinations of drugs that specifically target patient-specific signaling derangements is possible.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an efficient, high speed production scale synthesis method for high molecular weight organic substances, such as DNA. The invention includes a method of conducting a polymerase chain reaction which comprises transporting a liquid through polymeric tubing disposed through a first reaction cycle region and at least a second reaction cycle region, each of which regions comprises at least a first and a second temperature zone, the temperature in each zone of said at least second region being substantially identical to the corresponding first and second zones in said first region, wherein said liquid is an aqueous solution comprising polymerase chain reaction reactants and a surface absorbing polymer.

Abstract: A method of inducing blood vessel formation in an animal by administering to the animal a polynucleotide encoding a sphingosine kinase, or an analogue, fragment, or derivative thereof. The polynucleotide may be contained in an appropriate expression vector, such as a viral vector. The delivery of sphingosine kinase through administration of an expression vector which expresses sphingosine kinase provides for the formation of larger blood vessels containing a well defined structure that is supported by mural cells such as pericytes and smooth muscle cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides three novel HSC genes designated SCM 3, SCM 26, and SCM 113, the coding regions thereof, the gene products, applications of the genes, DNA constructs, vectors and transformed cells each comprising the gene of a fragment thereof. Methods of using the SCM 3, SCM 26 and SCM 113 polynucleotide and polypeptide sequences are also disclosed.

Abstract: Retroviral vectors which are resistant to inactivation by human serum. The retroviral vectors are produced in a cell line which is resistant to lysis by human serum, such cell lines including the HOS, Mv-1-Lu, HT1080, TE671, and human 293 cell lines, as well as cell lines derived therefrom. Such retroviral vectors are especially useful as in vivo gene delivery vehicles.

Abstract: Myeloproliferative leukemia receptor (mpl) ligands, such as thrombopoietin, act on a primitive subpopulation of human stem cells having the characteristics of self-renewal and ability to give rise to all hematopoietic cell lineages. Thrombopoietin supports both megakaryocytic differentiation and primitive progenitor cell expansion of CD34+ and CD34+ sub-populations (CD34+Lin−, CD34+Thy-1+Lin−, and CD34+Lin− Rh123lo). Thrombopoietin also stimulated quiescent human stem cells to begin cycling. Thus, mpl ligands are useful for expanding primitive stem cells for restoration of hematopoietic capabilities and for providing modified human stem cells for gene therapy applications.

Abstract: A purified soluble form of Flk-2 is provided, as the DNA sequence and as the protein. In addition, a partial DNA sequence of the human Flk-2 is also provided. The proteins find use in modulating hematopoiesis in culture and in vivo, as well as for the production of antibodies for assays of the proteins.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of using scaffold attachment regions (SARs) to increase expression in retrovirally transduced resting cells. A particularly preferred SAR is the 5′ SAR of the human interferon &bgr; gene or a fragment thereof having at least 450 base pairs.