| abstract |
The present invention provides an in vivo method for identifying molecules that home to a selected organ or tissue. In addition, the invention provides peptides that home to a selected organ or tissue. For example, the invention provides peptides that selectively home to an organ such as brain or kidney or to a tissue such as a tumor tissue. The invention further provides methods of using an organ homing molecule, for example, to target an agent such as a drug to a selected organ or to identify the target molecule expressed by the selected organ. The invention also provides methods of targeting an organ or tissue containing angiogenic vasculature by contacting the organ or tissue with a molecule that specifically binds an αv-containing integrin. |