Tweet
Kyoto prof creates bird flu antibodies from ostrich egg
The Yomiuri Shimbun
A Kyoto university professor has developed a technique to create a large amount of antibodies for avian influenza using an ostrich egg, it has been learned.
According to Prof. Yasuhiro Tsukamoto of Kyoto Prefectural University, the technique, which can create enough antibodies from one egg to treat 80,000 surgical masks, will be useful in preparing for a possible outbreak of a new strain of bird flu.
The professor and others have started making masks treated with the antibodies to be sold from this autumn.
A bird's immune system stores antibodies from its blood in eggs to protect their chicks. Tsukamoto had noted that ostriches have a strong resistance to viruses and that their eggs are 25 to 30 times heavier than those of chickens.
His team developed the technique to create large quantities of antibodies that counter bird flu and human flu viruses.
Test drugs for 20,000 people can be obtained from antibodies created from one egg. Another benefit is that ostriches can bear eggs for about 40 years, making it possible to stably provide antibodies of the same quality for an extended period of time, Tsukamoto said.
(Jul. 4, 2008)
The Yomiuri Shimbun
A Kyoto university professor has developed a technique to create a large amount of antibodies for avian influenza using an ostrich egg, it has been learned.
According to Prof. Yasuhiro Tsukamoto of Kyoto Prefectural University, the technique, which can create enough antibodies from one egg to treat 80,000 surgical masks, will be useful in preparing for a possible outbreak of a new strain of bird flu.
The professor and others have started making masks treated with the antibodies to be sold from this autumn.
A bird's immune system stores antibodies from its blood in eggs to protect their chicks. Tsukamoto had noted that ostriches have a strong resistance to viruses and that their eggs are 25 to 30 times heavier than those of chickens.
His team developed the technique to create large quantities of antibodies that counter bird flu and human flu viruses.
Test drugs for 20,000 people can be obtained from antibodies created from one egg. Another benefit is that ostriches can bear eggs for about 40 years, making it possible to stably provide antibodies of the same quality for an extended period of time, Tsukamoto said.
(Jul. 4, 2008)