In a recent study, scientists including members of The Human Protein Atlas project have identified the beta cell specific protein GPR44 as a potentially novel tool for measuring beta cell mass in vivo, using radiolabeled PET ligands targeting GPR44.

The pancreatic beta cell is responsible for producing insulin and beta cell loss is one of the causes underlying diabetes. Blood biomarkers to measure beta cell function exist, but there is a lack of good tools for measuring the beta cell mass inside the body.

In this study, the ligand targeting GPR44 was compared to a ligand targeting the established beta cell marker VMAT2, and the performance was evaluated...Read more

Introducing the HPA image of the week! Each week we will pick an image we find particularly interesting and briefly discuss it. This series will particularly focus on images brought to us by citizen scientists working on Project Discovery, though may include images from other projects in the atlas as well.

This week's image is brought to us by citizen scientist CalebAyrania who found this staining playing Project Discovery and correctly identified the antibody as labeling centrosomes in mitotic cells (cells undergoing division). This staining was observed in CACO-2 colorectal epithelial adenocarcinoma cells...Read more

In a recent study by co-workers of The Human Protein Atlas project over 100 genes with elevated expression pattern in the normal endometrium was found. A majority of these genes are well-known and have been extensively characterized. However, the list of endometrium-specific genes also includes uncharacterized genes, providing starting points for further studies of their role in normal homeostasis and diseases affecting the endometrium.

The uterus contains the endometrial mucosa which is the site for embryo implantation...Read more

The proteins are the building blocks of life

The human body is built of organs and tissues, each organ and tissue constitute of groups of cells, and each cell is built from a set of proteins - the building blocks of life.

In total, the human body consists of 100 billion cells, in every cell the genetic code translate to a set of proteins that will give the cell its specific properties.

Our mission is to map all proteins in the human body to better understand health and disease.

In order to identify the subcellular localization of proteins in cells, millions of images have been taken within the Human Protein Atlas project...Read more

The human gastrointestinal tract-specific transcriptome and proteome as defined by RNA sequencing and antibody-based profiling

In a recent study by scientists from the Human Protein Atlas project and colleagues, a genome-wide transcriptomics analysis combined with immunohistochemistry-based protein profiling was performed to describe the gene and protein expression patterns that define the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT).

The GIT organs (stomach, duodenum, jejunum/ileum and colon) were compared to gene expression levels in 23 other normal human tissues...Read more