Patent ID: 6027902
Filing Date: 2000-02-22
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A method of distinguishing polycythemia vera and idiopathic myelofibrosis from other diseases causing erythrocytosis, comprising the step of:utilizing an antibody which binds to the wild-type extracellular domain of Mpl, a thrombopoietin receptor, to determine the presence or absence of the wild-type extracellular domain of Mpl in platelets or megakaryocytes isolated from a patient suspected of having erythrocytosis, wherein binding of the antibody indicates the presence of the wild-type extracellular domain, and wherein the presence of the wild-type extracellular domain indicates that the patient does not have polycythemia vera or idiopathic myelofibrosis, and the absence of the wild-type extracellular domain indicates that the patient does have polycythemia vera or idiopathic myelofibrosis.