function has led to a variety of im- 
provements in human health care. 
For example, an understanding of 
hormone release, binding, and action 
gained through the study of cellular 
models enabled pharmacologists to 
design a drug for high blood pres- 
sure. The drug works by selectively 
inhibiting the enzyme that normally 
allows blood pressure to rise. 
Another area of basic cellular 
research that may lead to new thera- 
peutic products is the study of angio- 
genesis, or blood vessel formation. 
Since tumors must be well vascular- 
ized in order to thrive, agents that 
inhibit angiogenesis might be 
employed to combat cancer. Con- 
versely, agents that promote blood 
vessel growth might be useful as 
treatments for wounds and burns. 
Finally, techniques that were origi- 
nally developed to study genes and 
other cell components and to answer 
basic questions about cell activity 
are now being applied to medical 
problems, and offer great promise for 
the treatment of many illnesses. Tech- 
nologies for fusing different cell types, 
for example, led to the development 
of "hybridomas" — antibody-producing 
cells fused with tumor cells. Hybrido- 
mas are living factories that produce 
large quantities of a single, specific 
antibody. These antibodies can 
detect, with great speed and accu- 
racy, agents that cause such diseases 
as gonorrhea, hepatitis B, and AIDS. 
"Cell studies," says Gilula, "form a 
bridge between what is known at the 
genetic level and what needs to be 
learned before new therapies can be 
developed." We are indebted to the 
scientists of the past who first revealed 
the marvels of the cell. As exciting as 
the past has been, however, the future 
promises to be still more thrilling as 
researchers begin to gain an even 
deeper understanding of cell activities 
and to apply that understanding to 
questions of health and disease. 
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