We manufacture and supply a range of kidney and liver biomarker assays for use in pre-clinical and clinical environments. We also have a range of Urine Stabilizers and an assay for Oxidative DNA Damage
Kidney biomarkers can be classified as either Constitutive or Up-Regulated.
Constitutive Biomarkers
Constitutive Biomakers in our range:
Constitutive - About
Serum creatinine, is widely recognised as the universal 'gold standard' for measurement of the functional capacity of the kidney. However, levels of serum creatinine do not elevate early enough to detect acute kidney damage. Clinical biochemistry has long been comfortable with the concept of biomarker proteins which 'leak' from specific cells and tissues and which only appear in the body when those cells are injured.
For the kidney there is now a panel of consitutive histologically specific biomarkers for rat and human. These biomarkers leak into urine when their source cells are damaged and can predict a rise in serum creatinine levels if damage continues. Their concentrations are also related to the level of kidney injury.
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Up-regulated Biomarkers
Up-regulated Biomarkers in our range:
Up-Regulated - About
Up-regulated kidney biomakers have received much study in recent years. Research using RNA analysis has identified a number of genes which are significantly up-regulated in different parts of the nephron in response to injury. When stressed, tubular cells focus their biochemical resources to the location of the insult to prevent necrosis. The up-regulated proteins are secreted to influence neighbouring cells and to ameliorate apoptosis, the first response to an insult. The up-regulated markers may be able to save the target cell before necrosis occurs, thus they do not necessarily reflect necrosis. The two leading markers in this category are Kidney Injury Molecule 1 (KIM-1) and Neutraphil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (NGAL).
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Urine Stabilizers
We manufacture a range of human urine stabilizers. Our stabilizing buffer neutralizes urine and contain a bactericidal preservative. This allows our customers to confidently store human urine samples before analysis. We also offer our stabilizing buffer in a custom filled tube format to allow for optimal urine collection during clinical trials and research. This tube is 5mL with a 1mL volume of stabilizing buffer pre-aliquoted. The urine is aliquoted directly to this tube and can then be stored.
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OxyDNA Test
When DNA is damaged by oxygen radicals one of the main breakdown products is 8-oxoguanine (8OG). Our OxyDNA Test contains a binding protein that binds to 8OG and can be detected using microscopy or cell sorting. One use of this product has been in the cosmetics industry for testing the efficacy of sunscreen products.
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