IVISense™ Cat K 680 FAST NIR fluorescent probe enables monitoring and quantifying cathepsin K (Cat K) activity.
Cat K is a lysosomal cysteine protease expressed in osteoclasts, chondrocytes, and synovial fibroblasts and is involved in bone resorption and collagen degradation. Women with osteoporosis, breast cancer and bone metastases are reported to have high levels of Cat K. The high expression levels of Cat K is a good marker for not only better understanding bone modeling and remodeling, but evaluating inhibitors of Cat K for potential therapeutics.
Cat K 680 FAST is a Cathepsin K (Cat K) activatable fluorescent agent that is optically silent upon injection and produces fluorescent signal after cleavage by disease related Cathepsin K. Cat K is highly expressed in osteoclasts, suggesting a specialized role in bone resorption.
Cat K is found extracellularly along the bone and cartilage and intracellularly in lysozomes of osteoclasts attached to the bone. In addition to expression by osteoclasts, Cat K is also expressed by a broad range of other cell types including ovarian cells, colonic tissue, alveolar and bronchial epithelial cells, synovial fibroblasts, breast cancer cells, macrophages.
Cat K 680 FAST fluorescent probe is a member of a family of activatable imaging agents comprising a novel architecture, termed F.A.S.T. (Fluorescent Activatable Sensor Technology), that confers an improved pharmacokinetic profile with earlier imaging time points. This architecture offers higher target specific signal with reduced background while also reducing the optimal imaging time after injection.
For research use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.
