Enhancement of epidermal cell growth by non-protein growth factors
OwnerJohn Jacob Wille, Jr.inventor
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Abstract
The serum-free culture of normal human epithelial stem cells is of paramount importance for the in vitro formation of cloned human tissues by means of cell therapy. Several growth promoting agents are disclosed for use in a serum-free culture medium of normal human keratinocytes. Lithium ions, dibutryl-cyclic adenosine monophosphate, and prostaglandin E1 have been found effective as growth enhancing agents to be added singly or in combination, when used in combination with insulin-like growth factor-1. Lithium ions and prostaglandin E1 are disclosed as independent growth enhancing factors, that replace epidermal growth factor as a necessary growth factor required for keratinocyte clonal growth.
Claims9
A method of growing human keratinocytes for use in producing cloned human tissue, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a serum-free culture as a basal nutrient medium for cell growth;
- (b) adding epithelial cells from a human body to said medium;
- (c) adding at least one non-protein growth factor to said medium to enhance the growth of normal human keratinocytes;
- wherein said non-protein growth factor is selected from the group consisting of lithium ions, prostaglandin E1 and dibutryl-cyclic adenosine monophosphate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.