AVIAN STEM-CELL FACTOR (SCF) - PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THERECOMBINANT HIS-TAGGED SCF OF CHICKEN AND ITS NEUTRALIZING ANTIBODY

Recombinant chicken stem cell factor (SCF) was produced in bacteria as a histidine-tagged protein (His Delta SCF) and purified by affinity c hromatography on an Ni2+-NTA agarose column. His Delta SCF is devoid o f signal peptide and transmembrane domains and therefore mimics a solu ble form of SCF. We demonstrate that the factor is biologically fully active in supporting sustained proliferation of SCF-dependent red bloo d progenitor cells of chicken in vitro. Polyclonal SCF-specific antibo dies were raised in rabbits and shown to display potent SCF-neutralizi ng activity. Thus, recombinant chicken His Delta SCF together with the SCF-specific antibody provide valuable tools for studying the role of SCF and c-kit receptor in development, growth and differentiation of avian haematopoietic cells. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited