Abstract: [Problem] To provide, in order to manufacture cells to transplant into patients with corneal endothelial failure, a medium used to culture corneal endothelial cells obtained from human corneal tissue and grow said cells while maintaining the morphology thereof as corneal endothelial cells. [Solution] A medium containing a conditioned medium from mesenchymal stem cells; and a method in which said medium is used to culture corneal endothelial cells.

Abstract: [Problem] To provide, in order to manufacture cells to transplant into patients with corneal endothelial failure, a medium used to culture corneal endothelial cells obtained from human corneal tissue and grow said cells while maintaining the morphology thereof as corneal endothelial cells. [Solution] A medium containing a conditioned medium from mesenchymal stem cells; and a method in which said medium is used to culture corneal endothelial cells.

Abstract: A chromosome DNA which codes for human hepatocyte growth factor, a recombinant expression vector capable of expressing the DNA, a transformant transformed with the expression vector and a method of producing recombinant human hepatocyte growth factor. The DNA and polypeptide of the present invention are expected to serve well for hepatocyte cultivation reagents, liver regeneration promoters, various researches, clinical diagnostic reagents and therapeutic drugs for liver diseases.

Abstract: A convenient and effective method for amplifying a nucleic acid sequence characterized by effecting a DNA synthesis reaction in the presence of chimeric oligonucleotide primers; a method for supplying a large amount of DNA amplification fragments; an effective method for amplifying a nucleic acid sequence by combining the above method with another nucleic acid sequence amplification method; a method for detecting a nucleic acid sequence for detecting or quantitating a microorganism such as a virus, a bacterium, a fungus or a yeast; and a method for detecting a DNA amplification fragment obtained by the above method in situ.

Abstract: A convenient and effective method for amplifying a nucleic acid sequence characterized by effecting a DNA synthesis reaction in the presence of chimeric oligonucleotide primers; a method for supplying a large amount of DNA amplification fragments; an effective method for amplifying a nucleic acid sequence by combining the above method with another nucleic acid sequence amplification method; a method for detecting a nucleic acid sequence for detecting or quantitating a microorganism such as a virus, a bacterium, a fungus or a yeast; and a method for detecting a DNA amplification fragment obtained by the above method in situ.

Abstract: A convenient and effective method for amplifying a nucleic acid sequence characterized by effecting a DNA synthesis reaction in the presence of chimeric oligonucleotide primers; a method for supplying a large amount of DNA amplification fragments; an effective method for amplifying a nucleic acid sequence by combining the above method with another nucleic acid sequence amplification method; a method for detecting a nucleic acid sequence for detecting or quantitating a microorganism such as a virus, a bacterium, a fungus or a yeast; and a method for detecting a DNA amplification fragment obtained by the above method in situ.

Abstract: A DNA synthesis method with a shortened time period required for DNA synthesis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), characterized in that a DNA polymerase is used in an amount effective for providing more than 10 ng of amplified DNA fragments of about 2 kb per 50 &mgr;l of a reaction mixture, when PCR is carried out under the following conditions (A) and (B): (A) reaction mixture: 50 &mgr;l volume of a reaction mixture comprising DNA polymerase, 1 ng of genomic DNA from Escherichia coli, and 10 pmol each of primers Eco-1 and Eco-2 (nucleotide sequences of the primers Eco-1 and Eco-2 being shown in SEQ ID NOs: 10 and 11 of Sequence Listing, respectively); and having a composition suitable for the DNA polymerase; and (B) reaction conditions: 35 cycles of PCR, wherein one cycle consists of 99° C., 1 second-66° C., 7 seconds; a kit for DNA synthesis usable for the DNA synthesis method; and an article of manufacture of a PCR agent.

Abstract: A DNA synthesis method with a shortened time period required for DNA synthesis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), characterized in that a DNA polymerase is used in an amount effective for providing more than 10 ng of amplified DNA fragments of about 2 kb per 50 &mgr;l of a reaction mixture, when PCR is carried out under the following conditions (A) and (B): (A) reaction mixture: 50 &mgr;l volume of a reaction mixture comprising DNA polymerase, 1 ng of genomic DNA from Escherichia coli, and 10 pmol each of primers Eco-1 and Eco-2 (nucleotide sequences of the primers Eco-1 and Eco-2 being shown in SEQ ID NOs: 10 and 11 of Sequence Listing, respectively); and having a composition suitable for the DNA polymerase; and (B) reaction conditions: 35 cycles of PCR, wherein one cycle consists of 99° C., 1 second-66° C., 7 seconds; a kit for DNA synthesis usable for the DNA synthesis method; and an article of manufacture of a PCR agent.

Abstract: A convenient and effective method for amplifying a nucleic acid sequence characterized by effecting a DNA synthesis reaction in the presence of chimeric oligonucleotide primers; a method for supplying a large amount of DNA amplification fragments; an effective method for amplifying a nucleic acid sequence by combining the above method with another nucleic acid sequence amplification method; a method for detecting a nucleic acid sequence for detecting or quantitating a microorganism such as a virus, a bacterium, a fungus or a yeast; and a method for detecting a DNA amplification fragment obtained by the above method in situ.

Abstract: An antirheumatic agent which is characterized in containing at least one compound selected from a group consisting of 4,5-dihydroxy-2-cyclopenten-l-one represented by the following formula [I] and an optically active substance and a salt thereof as an effective component.

Abstract: An antiallergic agent which is characterized in containing at least one compound selected from a group consisting of 4,5-dihydroxy-2-cyclopenten-1-one represented by the following formula [I] and an optically active substance and a salt thereof as an effective component.

Abstract: A therapeutic or preventive agent for diabetes mellitus which is characterized in containing at least one compound selected from a group consisting of 4,5-dihydroxy-2-cyclopenten-1-one represented by the following formula [I] and an optically active substance and a salt thereof as an effective component.

Abstract: A compound represented by the following formula [I] or an optically active substance or a salt thereof. (In the formula, a bond shown by a dotted line in the five-membered ring means that said five-membered ring may be any of a cyclopentene ring having a double bond and a cyclopentane ring where said bond is saturated and, in the case of a cyclopentene ring, X is OH, Y is ═O and Z is H while, in the case of a cyclopentane ring, X is ═O, Y is OH and Z is OH. R is a residue after removal of an SH group from the SH-containing compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a macrophage stimulating protein wherein a cysteine residue at position 672 from the N-terminus in the amino acid sequence of native form macrophage stimulating protein is deleted or substituted by another amino acid residue, e.g., an alanine residue; a DNA fragment encoding the protein; a recombinant vector including the DNA fragment; a host cell transformed with the recombinant vector; and a method for culturing the transformed host cell and recovering a macrophage stimulating protein variant from the cultured host cell.

Abstract: Full-length cDNA clones have been isolated encoding purified augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR) polypeptides prepared from the cytosol of livers from weanling rats and from humans. The full-length clone from the rat is a 1226 bp cDNA containing an 81 bp 5'-untranslated region, a 594 bp coding region and a 551 bp 3'-untranslated region. The coding region encodes three proteins with estimated molecular weights of 15,081, 20,193 and 22,835. The full-length clone from the human consists of a 727 bp cDNA containing a 4 bp 5'-untranslated region, a 615 bp coding region and a 108 bp 3'-untranslated region, including the termination codon TAG and the poly (A) region. The 615 bp coding region encodes four proteins, human ALR-V1, ALR-V2, ALR-V3 and ALR, having estimated molecular weights of 23,448, 20,834, 20,703 and 15,028, respectively.

Abstract: Full-length cDNA clones have been isolated encoding purified augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR) polypeptides prepared from the cytosol of livers from weanling rats and from humans. The full-length clone from the rat is a 1226 bp cDNA containing an 81 bp 5'-untranslated region, a 594 bp coding region and a 551 bp 3'-untranslated region. The coding region encodes three proteins with estimated molecular weights of 15,081, 20,193 and 22,835. The full-length clone from the human consists of a 727 bp cDNA containing a 4 bp 5'-untranslated region, a 615 bp coding region and a 108 bp 3'-untranslated region, including the termination codon TAG and the poly (A) region. The 615 bp coding region encodes four proteins, human ALR-V1, ALR-V2, ALR-V3 and ALR, having estimated molecular weights of 23,448, 20,834, 20,703 and 15,028, respectively.

Abstract: Full-length cDNA clones have been isolated encoding purified augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR) polypeptides prepared from the cytosol of livers from human and from weanling rats. The 0.5 kb human ALR cDNA includes a 33 bp 5'-untranslated region, a 375 bp coding region and a 107 bp 3'-untranslated region. The cDNA encodes a protein consisting of 125 amino acids. The molecular weight of human ALR calculated from the cDNA was 15,028. A comparison of the sequences for the human ALR with those of the rat ALR shows 71% homology at the nucleotide level and 86% homology at the amino acid level. The most obvious immediate clinical use for the augmenter of liver regeneration is in the treatment of hepatic failure.

Abstract: A full-length cDNA clone has been isolated encoding a purified augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR) polypeptide prepared from the cytosol of livers from weanling rats. The 1.2 kb cDNA includes a 299 bp 5'-untranslated region, a 375 bp coding region and a 551 bp 3'-untranslated region. The cDNA encodes a protein consisting of 125 amino acids. The molecular weight of ALR calculated from the cDNA was 15,081 which is consistent with the size estimated by SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions. The molecular weight of the purified native ALR estimated by SDS-PAGE under non-reducing conditions is about 30,000, apparently with a homodimer structure. The recombinant ALR produced by expression of the cDNA in cultured cells was tested in vivo in the canine Eck's fistula model and found to have a potency equivalent to the purified native ALR. The most obvious immediate clinical use for the augmenter of liver regeneration is in the treatment of hepatic failure.