METHOD FOR USING OBESO GENE AND ITS GENETIC PRODUCT TO STIMULATE HEMATOPOIETIC DEVELOPMENT

摘要

The present invention relates to the expression of various forms of a novel receptor in hematopoietic and endothelial cells. A variant form of this receptor has been detected in brain cells and shown to bind to the obese gene product, leptin. In particular, the present invention relates to methods of using leptin to stimulate the growth and development of receptor-positive hematopoietic and endothelial cells in vitro and in vivo . In addition, this receptor is selectively expressed in hematopoietic progenitor cells with long-term repopulating potential. Thus, agents that specifically bind to this receptor may be used to identify and isolate progenitor cells for a variety of clinical applications.