Stem cell marker antibodies are widely used to identify and isolate cell populations, via targeting of specific proteins on the cell surface. However, until recently antibody suppliers had few products targeted at oval cell markers.

Oval cells are stem cells specific to hepatic tissue. They were first identified in rat livers which had been damaged by chemical treatment and tissue removal. Further studies showed that they were most likely to be bipotential progenitors, i.e. capable of differentiating into two cell types, bile duct cells and hepatocytes.

To fully understand the oval cell progenitor process, it is necessary to identify marker proteins for specific cell populations, and then generate antibodies to those antigens. This will enable cells to be identified and isolated. However, it is a complex process, and until recently there were few antibody reagents available for the isolation and study of hepatic mast cell subpopulations.

However, in 2008 Durrell et al proposed the mouse would be an excellent model, owing to the powerful genetic tools available. He set about producing monoclonal antibodies specific to the oval cell response, by immunising Fischer rats with nonparenchymal cells from mouse livers treated with 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC), which was used to pathologically induce hepatic porphyria.

The resultant antibodies specifically targeted a cell-surface antigen on one of the cellular subsets. The cell population was then isolated by FACS (fluorescence-activated cell sorting). The differential activity which was observed suggested this was a viable method for identification and isolation of progenitor cells i.e. those arising from oval cell activation. It was suggested that these new surface-reactive antibodies would prove useful in the study of ductal and periductal cells, relative to the murine oval cell response.

We at Novus Biologicals have now developed a full range of murine oval cell marker antibody products targeted to ductal and periductal cells. With a number of clones and DyLight conjugations to choose from, the range is as broad as possible, and a valuable addition to our antibody database.