Biological cell culture, cell culture media and therapeutic use of biological cells
AssigneeThe University of Birmingham
InventorChristopher Martin Bunce
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Abstract
The protein NM23 is disclosed as an agent for the maintenance of undifferentiated biological cells in culture. The NM23 protein may act as a survival factor for such cultured cells, or to prevent the differentiation and maturation of the cultured cells. The use of NM23 protein is applicable to culture of stem and/or progenitor cells, and particularly to such cells cultured and adapted for therapeutic use. The invention provides methods, media and media supplements for use in the culture of biological cells, and further provides methods of preparing biological cells for therapeutic use, as well as methods of therapy utilising biological cells and medicaments comprising biological cells adapted for therapeutic use.
Claims12
A method of maintaining stem cells in culture in vitro comprising culturing the stem cells in the presence of NM23 protein, without any cytokines other than cytokines IL-3 and/or SCF, wherein the NM23 acts to inhibit differentiation and maturation of said cultured stem cells.
A cell culture medium for the promotion of stem cell survival in culture without differentiation, the culture medium comprising:
- NM23 protein in an amount sufficient to inhibit differentiation and maturation of the stem cells in the culture;
- and
- an effective amount of cytokine selected from the group consisting of IL-3, SCF, and combinations thereof, and
- wherein the medium contains no other cytokines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.