Resources Available to Investigators
FRAXA's primary mission is to speed up progress towards effective
treatments and a cure for Fragile X. As "bottlenecks" are identified we will try to
facilitate solutions, so please contact us for additional resource requests.
> Where to get Fragile X Mutant Mice
> Antibodies to the Fragile X Protein, FMRP
> Fenobam -- mGluR5 antagonist
> Human Fragile X Cortical Neural Stem Cells
> Family Visits
FRAXA-sponsored Fragile X Mutant Mouse Facility at Baylor College of Medicine
6/30/2011 update: A Fragile X Mutant Mouse facility was established in 2009 at Baylor College of Medicine. FRAXA support has been essential for a broader and more rapid distribution of Fragile X and related gene mouse models. This has increased the pace of research into the role of FMR1 in a variety of areas.
The laboratory of David L. Nelson, Ph.D. is accepting requests. An extensive array of
mouse strains is available.
Knockout Mice may also be available from Jackson Laboratory.
Antibodies to the Fragile X Protein, FMRP
Several antibodies to the FMRP are available at nominal cost from the DHSB at the University
of Iowa. Several antibodies to mouse and drosophila fmrp are available.For details, visit:
http://dshb.biology.uiowa.edu/
Reagents: fenobam Available for Pre-Clinical Studies
FRAXA has available a supply of the selective mGluR5 antagonist,
fenobam, for donation to investigators
who wish to test its effects in the FMR1 mouse or
other models of Fragile X, synthesized by Scynexis.
This compound is difficult to work with as it is virtually insoluble.
Contact: Michael Tranfaglia, MD, Medical Director
Human Fragile X cortical neural stem cells available
Human cortical neural stem cells that carry the Fragile X mutation are available for distribution to interested researchers.
These cells are grown as neurospheres and are mainly neural progenitor cells. They can be differentiated into neurons
and astrocytes that lack FMRP with long-term culturing. For more information about these cells please refer to Svendsen
et al., J Neuroscience Methods 85:141-163 (1998), and contact: Dr. Anita Bhattacharyya
at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Waisman Center bhattacharyy@waisman.wisc.edu, www.waisman.wisc.edu/faculty/bhattacharyya.html
Family Visits
Parents in many parts
of the country would be eager to bring their children, who have
fragile X, to visit a lab. This is an invaluable opportunity
to see what Fragile X is really like... something that is not
truly conveyed in the literature. Contact: Katie
Clapp to arrange a visit.
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