Abstract: The invention relates to compositions, kits and methods used in hydroxyl radical detection. In some embodiments, the invention relates to compositions comprising a dye preferably methylene blue immobilized on a substrate. In additional embodiments, the invention relates methods of correlating color changes of a dye to the presence or absence of hydroxyl radicals. In some embodiments, the invention relates to a methylene blue dye containing test strip and its use in a method for detecting the presence of hydroxyl radicals.

Abstract: The invention relates to compositions, kits and methods used in hydroxyl radical detection. In some embodiments, the invention relates to compositions comprising a dye preferably methylene blue immobilized on a substrate. In additional embodiments, the invention relates methods of correlating color changes of a dye to the presence or absence of hydroxyl radicals. In some embodiments, the invention relates to a methylene blue dye containing test strip and its use in a method for detecting the presence of hydroxyl radicals.

Abstract: A method for restoring gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) in the cells of a mammal, including humans. The method includes administering to mammals who have been determined to have a mutation in the ras gene a phytosterol to restore GJIC. The phytosterol can be ?-sitosterol, stigmasterol, or mixtures of these phytosterols. Administering the phytosterol compound both restores gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) and inhibits anchorage independent growth of mammalian cells which have a mutation in the ras gene.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification of adult human stem cells as well as the identification of metastatic cancer cells by detecting the expression of Oct-4, and the lack of GJIC activity. The invention further provides methods of identifying compounds that possess carcinogenic initiator activity, as well as compounds that protect against this earliest stage of cancer.

Abstract: A method is described for culturing morphologically and antigenically distinguishable types of normal human breast epithelial cells (HBEC) derived from reduction mammoplasty. Type I HBEC showed luminal and stem cell characteristics i.e. the ability to form budding/ductal structures when cultured on MATRIGEL and expressed a variant ER (.about.48 Kd) which has a deletion in the DNA binding domain (exon 2). In contrast, Type II HBEC with basal epithelial phenotype are ER-negative when cultured on MATRIGEL. Simian virus 40 (SV40) transformed Type I and Type II HBEC lines also expressed the variant ER. Tumors formed in athymic nude mice by in vitro transformed tumorigenic Type I cell lines, however, expressed a high level of wild type ER which was undetectable in these cells grown in vitro before and after tumor formation. Thus, there appears to be a differentional ER mRNA splicing between the in vitro and in vivo milieu.