ALK 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 ALK Stable Ba/F3 Cell Line expresses activated ALK tyrosine kinase that is linked to a GFP reporter (GFP-ETV6-ALK 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.

ALK belongs to the IR family of receptor tyrosine kinases consist of proteins which bind to insulin. They are well-known for their role in glucose homeostasis as well as tissue development. ALK plays an important role in the development of the brain and exerts its effect on specific neurons in the nervous system. Rearranged, mutated, or amplified ALK-encoding gene has been found associated with a series of tumors including anaplastic large cell lymphomas, neuroblastoma, and non-small cell lung cancer.