human systems

The immune system is a host defense system comprising many biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease. To function properly, an immune system must detect a wide variety of agents, known as pathogens, from viruses to parasitic worms, and distinguish them from the organism's own healthy tissue. Inflammation is also the body's attempt at self-protection to remove harmful stimuli and begin the healing process. It’s part of the body's immune response. The immune system recognizes damaged cells, irritants, and pathogens, and inflammation begins the healing process. Inflammatory abnormalities are a large group of disorders that underlie a vast variety of human diseases. The immune system is often involved with inflammatory disorders, demonstrated in both allergic reactions and some myopathies, with many immune system disorders resulting in abnormal inflammation.

MCE designs a unique collection of 7,846 compounds that are useful tool for Immunology/Inflammation research or autoimmune inflammatory diseases drug discovery.

Inflammation promotes physiological and pathological processes by the activation of the immune system, local vascular system, and various cells within the damaged tissue. Accumulating epidemiological and clinical evidence shows that chronic inflammation is causally linked to various human diseases, including cerebrovascular, cardiovascular, joint, cutaneous, pulmonary, blood, liver, and intestinal diseases as well as diabetes.

Various natural products from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have been shown to safely suppress proinflammatory pathways and control inflammation-associated disease. MCE designs a unique collection of 1,535 Traditional Chinese Medicine active compounds with anti-inflammatory activity, which are derived from Coptis chinensis, Radix isatidis, Flos Lonicerae, Forsythia suspensa, etc. MCE Anti-inflammatory Traditional Chinese Medicine Active Compound Library is a useful tool for discovery anti-inflammatory drugs from TCM.

Cancer is a multi-step process which involves initiation, promotion and progression. Chemical carcinogens can alter any of these processes to induce their carcinogenic effects. People are continuously exposed exogenously to varying amounts of chemicals that have been shown to have carcinogenic or mutagenic properties in experimental systems. Exposure can occur exogenously when these agents are present in food, air or water, and also endogenously when they are products of metabolism or pathophysiologic states such as inflammation. The administration of chemical carcinogens is one of the most commonly used methods to induce tumors in several organs in laboratory animals in order to study oncologic diseases of humans. MCE offers a unique collection of 143 chemical carcinogens which have been identified with carcinogenic activity either in humans or in animal models. MCE Tumorigenesis-Related Compound Library is a powerful tool for studying oncologic diseases of humans. Standard opration based on safety data sheet will not cause harm to the body.

Mongolian medicine refers to drugs used for disease prevention and treatment under the guidance of Mongolian medical theory. Originating from the vast grasslands and desert regions of northern China, Mongolian medicine developed under specific natural conditions and a nomadic lifestyle, forming a unique theoretical system and treatment methods. It emphasizes the balance between the human body and the natural environment and has demonstrated distinct efficacy in treating digestive system diseases, rheumatism, skin diseases, and various chronic conditions. For example, Mongolian medicine often uses Chinese red date for palpitations and angina pectoris, sea buckthorn to relieve coughs, reduce phlegm, promote blood circulation, and remove blood stasis, and scabious to clear lung heat and treat liver heat diseases. The application of these characteristic Mongolian medicines embodies the profound wisdom of Mongolian medical practice.

With the advancement of modern technology, research on Mongolian medicine continues to deepen. Systematic studies on the chemical composition and pharmacological effects of Mongolian medicines can provide new ideas and methods for modern drug development.

MCE has collected 2,380 characteristic natural products derived from Mongolian medicines, with 400+ plant sources of Mongolian medicine.

Hormones are a class of biologically active substances secreted by endocrine gland cells, which are transported through the circulatory system to various parts of the body, and precisely act on specific target organs or cells, playing a crucial role in regulating the growth, development, metabolism, and reproduction of organisms. The mechanisms of hormone action are diverse and complex. Some hormones (such as corticosteroids, vitamin D, and thyroid hormones) can enter the cell interior and interact with receptors in the nucleus, thereby regulating gene expression and affecting cell function. Other hormones (such as growth hormone and thyrotropin-releasing hormone) bind directly to receptors on the cell surface, exerting their effects by regulating enzyme activity or influencing the state of ion channels. Additionally, hormones play a key role in the study of endocrine and metabolic diseases, and are closely related to the development of diseases such as diabetes and thyroid diseases.

MCE has included 86 human hormone compounds, which is of great significance for the study of human metabolic pathways, and can also be used to build a metabonomics database.

On May 15, 2024, "Dimerization and antidepressant recognition at noradrenaline transporter" was published online by Nature. The research findings were an effort from Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences. This study unraveled the important neural system target - the noradrenaline transporter (NET), obtaining the binding modes of human NET homodimers with the natural substrate norepinephrine (NE) and six selective antidepressants. It laid an important theoretical foundation for understanding the physiological regulation mechanisms of NET and other monoamine transporters.

The Norepinephrine Transporter (NET) Compound Library is obtained by computer-aided virtual screening based on the HY-L901 compound library . The specific screening process includes molecular docking screening, key pharmacophore screening, and CNS-MPO screening, which can be used for new drug discovery targeting the noradrenaline transporter.

Metabolomics is the large-scale study of cellular metabolic complement, with proven utility in both basic and applied studies of plants, microorganisms, and mammals. As an important tool for the study of complex biological systems, metabolomics monitors the complex molecular networks that exist in the natural flow of information from genes to mRNA and proteins to organisms. The metabolome is composed of biomolecules that most closely resemble the phenotype of an organism, and changes in its composition can easily lead to the production of diseases. Therefore, metabolomics has received much attention in drug target discovery, drug response and translational research of disease mechanisms. Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics methods can simultaneously detect and quantify thousands of metabolite signatures, thereby characterizing the pathophysiological mechanisms of various biomedical symptoms.

MCE can provide 664 mass spectrometry human endogenous metabolites that can be used for metabolite identification and quantification, functional cell detection and phenotypic screening of mass spectrometry.

Metabolomics, positioned as the systemic characterization of small-molecule metabolites within biological systems, has emerged as an indispensable analytical platform in both fundamental research and translational applications across plant sciences, microbial biotechnology, and biomedical investigations. Functioning as a critical component in multi-omics integration, this discipline deciphers the intricate molecular networks operating downstream of genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic regulation, thereby capturing the dynamic biochemical phenotype closest to organismal functionality. The metabolome, comprising endogenous compounds with molecular weights typically below 1500 Da, serves as the functional readout of cellular processes and environmental interactions, where perturbations in metabolic networks are frequently implicated in disease pathogenesis. Such unique attributes have propelled metabolomics into a pivotal role in pharmacological research, particularly in target deconvolution, pharmacodynamic assessment, and mechanistic elucidation of pathological processes.

MCE can provide 5,923 mass spectrometry human metabolites that can be used for metabolite identification and quantification, functional cell detection and phenotypic screening of mass spectrometry.

The developmental proteins Hedgehog, Notch and Wnt are key regulators of cell fate, proliferation, migration and differentiation in several tissues. Their related signaling pathways are frequently activated in tumors, and particularly in the rare subpopulation of cancer stem cells. The Wnt signaling pathway is a conserved pathway in animals. Deregulated Wnt signaling has catastrophic consequences for the developing embryo and it is now well appreciated that defective Wnt signaling is a causative factor for a number of pleiotropic human pathologies, including cancer. Hedgehog signaling pathway is linked to tumorigenesis and is aberrantly activated in a variety of cancers. The Notch signaling pathway is a highly conserved cell signaling system present in most animals. It plays an important role in cell-cell communication, and further regulates embryonic development.

MCE designs a unique collection of 601 Wnt/Hedgehog/Notch signaling pathway-related small molecules. Wnt/Hedgehog/Notch Compound Library serves as a useful tool for stem cell research and anti-cancer drug screening.

Chemokines, or chemotactic cytokines, are small cytokines or signaling proteins secreted by cells. They are a component of intercellular communication, controlling the directional movement of immune cells especially leukocytes, as well as other cell types, for instance, endothelial and epithelial cells, which are essential to maintain human health and the function of the immune system.

The biological effects of chemokines are achieved by binding to chemokine receptors, which are G protein-coupled receptors found on the surface of leukocytes. Some chemokine receptors are involved in directing tumor metastasis and over-expression by certain tumors. So inhibiting the interaction between chemokine and chemokine receptors on the surface of tumor cells may be a new possible therapeutic approach. Some chemokine receptors are coreceptors for HIV entry, and related inhibitors have been approved by the FDA to treat patients with HIV. Obviously, chemokines and chemokine receptors have become new targets for studying cancer, HIV, inflammation, and other diseases.

MCE supplies a unique collection of 239 chemokine or chemokine receptor inhibitors and activators, all of which have the identified inhibitory or activated effect on chemokine or chemokine receptors. MCE Chemokine Library is a useful tool for drug research related to cancer, AIDS, and wound therapy.

MCE Human Brain Organoid (Expansion) Kit contains Human Brain Organoid Expansion Basal Medium and Human Brain Organoid Expansion Culture Supplements. This kit enables the efficient in vitro generation of human forebrain organoids (hFBs). Within this culture system, human brain tissue can spontaneously form organoid structures that faithfully recapitulate key features of in vivo cellular heterogeneity and complex tissue organization.

MCE Human iPSC/ESC Cortical Brain Organoid Induction Differentiation Kit is a standardized culture system specifically designed to recapitulate the developmental processes and functional features of the human cerebral cortex through forebrain ventralization-based signaling regulation. By sequentially activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and gradually inhibiting BMP/Smad signaling, this system efficiently drives human pluripotent stem cells (PSC) to differentiate into high-purity glutamatergic neurons (VGLUT1/2⁺ > 85%), while simultaneously promoting the formation of Pax6⁺/BLBP⁺ radial glial cells that establish a biomimetic ventricular-zone–like structure.

MCE Recombinant Human Serum Albumin Solution (rHSA, 20%) can be widely used in various cell culture systems and is particularly suitable for maintaining the undifferentiated growth and expansion of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) and induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) under both feeder-dependent and feeder-free conditions.

MCE Human iPSC-Derived Brain Organoid Long-term Culture Medium is a specialized culture system developed through systematic reformulation and concentration optimization based on neuronal cell culture platforms. It significantly enhances the adaptability and stability of long-term culture for brain organoids derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

MCE Human iPSC/ESC Cardiomyocyte Induction Differentiation Kit is based on the classical GiWi system. By precisely modulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in a temporally controlled manner (sequential activation and inhibition), the kit enables highly efficient directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into cardiomyocytes. It is suitable for cardiac disease modeling, drug cardiotoxicity assessment, and mechanistic studies.

MCE Human PSC Embryoid Body (EB) Induction Medium is specifically designed to support the efficient and reproducible formation of uniform embryoid bodies from pluripotent stem cells under suspension culture conditions. This optimized culture system integrates microenvironmental regulation with metabolic adaptation strategies, significantly improving the stability and reproducibility of EB formation.

MCE Human iPSC/ESC Whole-Brain Organoid Induction Differentiation Kit is a non-region-specific brain organoid induction kit designed based on the neuroectoderm self-differentiation system. After 38 d of culture using this kit, the resulting whole-brain organoids stably express core neuronal markers such as TUJ1, SOX2, Nestin, and NeuN, as well as forebrain/cortical markers including FOXG1 and CTIP2.

MCE Human iPSC/ESC Cortical Brain Organoid Maturation Medium is a ready-to-use culture system specifically formulated for the long-term maintenance and maturation of cortical brain organoids. It serves as a seamless transition from the induction phase and supports the continued growth and functional development of the organoids. Upon switching PSC-derived cortical brain organoids to this medium, organoid viability and structural stability are markedly enhanced, enabling a robust and extended culture period of up to 180 d.