Abstract: In order to design a safety device (51) for a seat (42) for a vehicle, in particular motor vehicle, with an at least partially flexible seat surface (1) and with a barrier means (2) which is to be arranged essentially under the seat surface (1) and is to be erected, in particular in the event of an accident, to prevent an occupant from being displaced forwards in the direction of inertia (3), such that the occupant is securely held in the seat even in the event of an accident, it is proposed that the barrier means (2) is held in the erected state (4) by means of a holding means which is held essentially in a manner such that it does not move back out of a final state corresponding to the erected state (4) of the barrier means (2) without an additional application of force, wherein the holding means is, in particular, a self-locking means (5) and/or a ramp means (43) Which can be latched in place.

Abstract: The present invention relates to in vivo and in vitro methods, agents and compound screening assays for inducing differentiation of undifferentiated mammalian cells into osteoblasts, including bone formation enhancing pharmaceutical compositions, and the use thereof in treating and/or preventing a disease involving a systemic or local decrease in mean bone density in a subject.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods, agents and compound screening assays for inducing differentiation of undifferentiated mammalian cells into osteoblasts. The invention thus provides a method, comprising contacting a compound with a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID No: 194-309; and measuring a compound-polypeptide property related to the differentiation of said cells. The invention further relates to a bone formation enhancing pharmaceutical composition, and the use thereof in treating and/or preventing a disease involving a systemic or local decrease in mean bone density in a subject. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for the in vitro production of bone tissue.

Abstract: The present invention relates to in vivo and in vitro methods, agents and compound screening assays for inducing anabolic stimulation of chondrocytes, including cartilage formation enhancing pharmaceutical compositions, and the use thereof in treating and/or preventing a disease involving a systemic or local decrease in mean cartilage thickness in a subject.

Abstract: The present invention relates to in vivo and in vitro methods, agents and compound screening assays for inducing differentiation of undifferentiated mammalian cells into osteoblasts, including bone formation enhancing pharmaceutical compositions, and the use thereof in treating and/or preventing a disease involving a systemic or local decrease in mean bone density in a subject.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods, agents and compound screening assays for inducing differentiation of undifferentiated mammalian cells into osteoblasts. The invention thus provides a method, comprising contacting a compound with a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID No: 194-309; and measuring a compound-polypeptide property related to the differentiation of said cells. The invention further relates to a bone formation enhancing pharmaceutical composition, and the use thereof in treating and/or preventing a disease involving a systemic or local decrease in mean bone density in a subject. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for the in vitro production of bone tissue.

Abstract: The application discloses methods for identifying and using compounds that inhibit extra-cellular matrix (ECM) degradation and inflammation, using a polypeptide sequence including SEQ ID NO: 17-127 (hereinafter “TARGETS”) and fragments thereof, expression inhibitory agents such as antisense polynucleotide, a ribozyme, and a small interfering RNA (siRNA), comprising a nucleic acid sequence complementary to, or engineered from, a naturally occurring polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 17-127, useful in pharmaceutical compositions comprising said agent, for the treatment, or prevention, of chronic joint degenerative and/or inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to in vivo and in vitro methods, agents and compound screening assays for inhibiting extra-cellular matrix degradation, including joint degenerative inhibiting and/or anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical compositions, and the use thereof in treating and/or preventing a disease involving extra-cellular matrix degradation in a subject.

Abstract: The application discloses methods for identifying and using compounds that inhibit extra-cellular matrix (ECM) degradation and inflammation, using a polypeptide sequence including SEQ ID NO: 17-127 (hereinafter “TARGETS”) and fragments thereof, expression inhibitory agents such as antisense polynucleotide, a ribozyme, and a small interfering RNA (siRNA), comprising a nucleic acid sequence complementary to, or engineered from, a naturally occurring polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 17-127, useful in pharmaceutical compositions comprising said agent, for the treatment, or prevention, of chronic joint degenerative and/or inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to in vivo and in vitro methods, agents and compound screening assays for inhibiting extra-cellular matrix degradation, including joint degenerative inhibiting and/or anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical compositions, and the use thereof in treating and/or preventing a disease involving extra-cellular matrix degradation in a subject.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of molecular genetics and medicine. In particular, the present invention relates to the field of functional genomics, i.e., to a method for the identification of genes that function in regulating bone homeostasis, such as the induction of osteogenesis.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of molecular genetics and medicine. In particular the present invention relates to the field of functional genomics. The present invention provides the methods and means for the identification of nucleic acids and the polypeptides encoded by these nucleic acids that have a function related to the E2F pathway, which were isolated in a high-throughput screening assay using the E2F transcription factor activity as a read-out. The identified compounds are suitable drug-targets to treat human diseases.