Directed differentiation of astrocytes from human pluripotent stem cells for use in drug screening and the treatment of amyotrophic laterial sclerosis (als)
OwnerMichal IZRAEL, Michel REVEL +3inventors
InventorsMichal IZRAEL, Michel REVEL, Arik HASSON, Kfir MOLAKANDOV, Judith CHEBATH
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Abstract
The present invention discloses a method of identifying agents that affect human astrocytes functionality using ex-vivo differentiated pluripotent stem cells (PSC). In addition, the use of human progenitor astrocytes or human astrocytes for the treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in a human subject is also disclosed.
Claims18
A method of screening an agent for preventing or treating Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) the method comprising:
- (a) contacting a population of astrocytes, the astrocytes having been ex-vivo differentiated from pluripotent stem cells (PSC), with the agent;
- (b) co-culturing the population of astrocytes of step (a) or a conditioned medium thereof with a population of neurons;
- and
- (c) quantifying an effect of said agent to enhance survival or neural function of the population of neurons.
A method for treating or preventing the progression of ALS in a subject in need thereof;
- the method comprises the administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a cell population of human progenitor astrocytes or astrocytes, the human progenitor astrocytes and human astrocytes having been ex-vivo differentiated from pluripotent stem cells (PSC), to the subject in need thereof
Use of a cell population of human progenitor astrocytes or astrocytes, the human progenitor astrocytes or astrocytes having been ex-vivo differentiated from pluripotent stem cells (PSC), for the manufacture of a medicament identified for treating ALS.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.