Exploring growth-promoting extracts
Dr. Thomas Scott, Professor of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, and his team are studying bioactive supramammary lymph node proteins and growth factor activity. The team discovered that proteins from these rendered materials can have unique biological activity and can be used in tissue culture media to grow cells for a variety of issues in medical research.Dr. Scott and his students have tested the
potency of their isolated extract on an array of cells, including human
breast cancer and antibody producing cells, and found it works better
than the expensive bovine growth serum that is now used ($36-72 per 100
mL). The extract from animal co-products works better because it
contains potent growth-enhancing factors that activate cell
proliferation.
In addition, Dr. Scott is investigating feeding
this material to chicks as a non-antibiotic, natural growth promoter.
This extract derived from animal co-products could have a great market
value for cell/tissue culture or as growth-promoting feed supplements.