PDGFRA Stable Ba/F3 Cell Line

Fusing a kinase domain to a homodimerization domain such as the PNT domain of ETV6 can result in activated kinase. The PDGFRA Stable Ba/F3 Cell Line expresses activated PDGFRA tyrosine kinase that is linked to a GFP reporter (GFP-ETV6-PDGFRA in MSCV-puro vector). Ba/F3 cells expressing activated tyrosine kinase become completely dependent on the kinase activity for survival and as a result, the cells can be propagated even in the absence of IL-3.

PDGFRA belongs to the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) family of receptor tyrosine kinases consisting of proteins which bind to platelet-derived growth factors. These proteins are heavily involved in embryonic development, acting as early as gastrulation; they assist in proper organ formation as well as hematopoiesis. Studies suggest that PDGFRA plays a role in organ development, wound healing, and tumor progression. Mutations in its gene have been associated with idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome, somatic and familial gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and a variety of other cancers.