Bay Biosciences provides high quality, clinical grade, fresh frozen bio-specimens, cryogenically preserved sera (serum), plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) biofluid samples from patients diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Moreover, the sera (serum), plasma and PBMC biofluid specimens are processed from Ankylosing Spondylitis patient’s peripheral whole-blood using customized collection and processing protocols.

Furthermore, the Ankylosing Spondylitis fresh frozen biofluid samples are collected from unique patients diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis disease and are provided to a valued pharmaceutical customer for research, diagnostics, discovery and drug development.

In addition, detailed clinical information associated with Ankylosing Spondylitis specimens is provided to a valued customer for research, development and drug discovery.

Finally, the Ankylosing Spondylitis  sera (serum), plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) biofluid are processed from patients peripheral whole-blood using customized collection and processing protocols.

Ankylosing Spondylitis Overview

Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is a rare type of arthritis that causes pain and stiffness in the spine, is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that, over time, can cause some of the small bones in your spine (vertebrae) to fuse. The fusing makes the spine less flexible and can result in a hunched-forward posture.  If ribs are affected, it can be difficult to breathe deeply. Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is a lifelong condition, also known as Bechterew disease, usually starts in the lower back. It can spread up to the neck or damage joints in other parts of the body. “Ankylosis” means fused bones or other hard tissue. “Spondylitis” means inflammation in the spinal bones, or vertebrae. Severe cases can leave the spine hunched.

Ankylosing spondylitis affects men more often than women. Signs and symptoms typically begin in early adulthood. Inflammation also can occur in other parts of your body, most commonly, in the eyes. There is no cure for ankylosing spondylitis, but treatments can lessen the symptoms and possibly slow progression of the disease.

Ankylosing Spondylitis Signs and Symptoms

Ankylosing spondylitis often starts in the sacroiliac joints, where the spine connects to the pelvis. It can affect places where the tendons and ligaments attach to bones. It can even cause the vertebrae to fuse together. Early signs and symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis might include pain and stiffness in the lower back and hips, especially in the morning and after periods of inactivity. Neck pain and fatigue also are common. Over time, symptoms might worsen, improve or stop at irregular intervals. Symptoms can differ from patient to patient.

Following are the areas most commonly affected by ankylosing spondylitis:

  • Vertebrae in the lower back
  • Hip and shoulder joints
  • Pain usually gets worse after sitting for a long time and in the mornings
  • Joints between the base of the spine and the pelvis
  • Areas where the tendons and ligaments attach to bones, mainly in the spine, and sometimes along the backside of the heel
  • Cartilage between the breastbone and ribs
  • Thighs
  • Feet
  • Hands 
  • Fatigue
  • Rigid spine that curves forward
  • Difficulty taking deep breath
  • Swelling in the joints

Causes of Ankylosing Spondylitis

Exact causes of developing ankylosing spondylitis are unknown. Researchers think that ankylosing spondylitis is a genetic disorder. Most patients with ankylosing spondylitis have a gene that makes a protein called HLA-B27 (Human leukocyte antigen B27) and area t greatly increased risk of developing the disease. Researchers think HLA-B27 signals the immune system to attack some common bacteria in the body and sets off ankylosing spondylitis like symptoms.

Risk Factors of Ankylosing Spondylitis

  • Sex: Men are more likely than women to develop ankylosing spondylitis, and it strikes them earlier and harder. Women tend to have a milder form of ankylosing spondylitis disease called non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis.
  • Age: Ankylosing spondylitis often starts in teens and young adulthood. About 80% of cases begin before the person turns 30, and 95% of the patients by age 45.
  • Heredity: Most patients who develop ankylosing spondylitis have the HLA-B27 (Human leukocyte antigen B27) gene. But many patients who have this gene never develop ankylosing spondylitis.

Complications of Ankylosing Spondylitis

In severe ankylosing spondylitis cases, new bone forms as part of the body’s attempt to heal. This new bone gradually bridges the gap between vertebrae and eventually fuses sections of vertebrae. Those parts of the spine become stiff and inflexible. Fusion can also stiffen the rib cage, restricting the lungs capacity and function.

Other complications of ankylosing spondylitis might include:
  • Vertebral fractures can put pressure on and possibly injure the spinal cord and the nerves that pass through the spine.
  • Compression Fractures: Some patients bones thin during the early stages of ankylosing spondylitis. Weakened vertebrae can crumble, increasing the severity of the stooped posture.
  • Heart Problems: Ankylosing spondylitis can cause problems with the aorta, the largest artery in the human body. The inflamed aorta can enlarge to the point that it distorts the shape of the aortic valve in the heart, which impairs its function.
  • Eye Inflammation (Uveitis): One of the most common complications of ankylosing spondylitis, uveitis can cause rapid-onset eye pain, sensitivity to light and blurred vision.

 

Biospecimens

biospecimens

Bay Biosciences is a global leader in providing researchers with high quality, clinical grade, fully characterized human tissue samples, bio-specimens, and human bio-fluid collections.

Moreover, human biospecimens are available including tumor tissue, serum, plasma and PBMC samples from most other therapeutic areas.

Furthermore, Bay Biosciences maintains and manages its own biorepository, the human tissue bank (biobank) consisting of thousands of diseased samples (specimens) and likewise normal healthy donors for controls. Additionally, available in all formats and types.

In fact, our biobank procures and stores fully consented, de-identified and institutional review boards (IRB) approved human tissue samples, human biofluids such as serum samples, plasma samples from various diseases and matched controls.

Also, all our human tissue collections, human biospecimens and human biofluids are provided with detailed, samples associated patient’s clinical data.

In fact, this critical patient’s clinical data includes information relating to their past and current disease, treatment history, lifestyle choices, biomarkers, and genetic information.

Additionally, researchers find the patient’s data associated with the human biospecimens extremely valuable and use it to help identify new effective treatments (drug discovery & development) in oncology, as well as in other therapeutic areas and diseases.

Bay Biosciences banks wide variety of human tissue samples and human biological samples, including fresh frozen human biospecimens cryogenically preserved at – 80°C.

For example fresh frozen tissue samples, tumor tissue samples, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE), tissue slides, with matching human bio-fluids, whole blood and blood-derived products such as human serum, human plasma and human PBMCs.

Bay Biosciences is a global leader in collecting and providing human tissue samples according to the specified requirements and customized, tailor-made collection protocols.

Please contact us anytime to discuss your special research projects and customized human tissue sample requirements.

Types of Biospecimens

Bay Biosciences provides human tissue samples (human specimens) and human biofluids from diseased and normal healthy donors which includes:

Moreover, we can also procure most human biospecimens and human biofluids, special collections and requests for human samples that are difficult to find. All our human tissue samples and human biofluids are procured through IRB-approved clinical protocols and procedures.

In addition to the standard processing protocols, Bay Biosciences can also provide human biofluids such as  human plasma, human serum, and human PBMCs bio-fluid samples using custom processing protocols; you buy donor-specific collections in higher volumes and specified sample aliquots from us.

Bay Biosciences also provides human biospecimens from normal healthy donors; volunteers, for controls and clinical research, Contact us Now.