Patent ID: 7052856
Filing Date: 2006-05-30
Classification: A61K,A61L,A61P,C07K,C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for screening for an agent that modulates bone mineralization, said method comprising: contacting an osteogenic cell expressing a NELL-1 gene with a test agent; and detecting an expression level of said NELL-1 gene in the contacted cell, where a difference in the expression level of NELL-1 in an osteogenic cell that is not contacted indicates that said test agent is an agent that modulates bone mineralization, wherein the osteogenic cell is selected from the group consisting of an osteoblast, a mesenchymal cell, a fibroblast cell, a dura cell, a chondrocyte, a MC3T3 cell and a chondroblast.