Neural stem cells
AssigneeThe University Court of the University of Edinburgh
InventorsLuciano Conti, Steven Michael Pollard, Austin Gerard Smith
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Abstract
A homogenous, symmetrically dividing population of adherent neural stem cells is obtained from ES cells or foetal or adult brain isolates, using an activator of a signalling pathway downstream of a receptor of the EGF receptor family, optionally in combination with an activator of a signalling pathway downstream of an FGF receptor. The neural stem cell population is highly pure and retains the ability to differentiate into neurons after in excess of 100 passages.
Claims16
A composition, comprising (a) neural stem cells;
- and either (b) EGF;
- or (c) EGF and FGF-2;
- wherein at least 80% of said cells are symmetrically dividing neural stem cells and wherein no more than 1% of the cells are positive for the expression of markers from mature astrocytes, neurons and oligodendrocytes, and wherein both EGF and the combination of EGF and FGF-2 promote the symmetrical division of the stem cells.
A cell line comprising neural stem cells, wherein said neural stem cells are maintained in the presence of either EGF or EGF and FGF-2, wherein at least 80% of said cells are symmetrically-dividing neural stem cells and wherein no more than 1% of the cells are positive for the expression of markers for mature astocytes, neurons, and oligodendrocytes, wherein both EGF and the combination of EGF and FGF-2 promote the symmetrical division of the stem cells.
A composition comprising (a) neural stem cells and either (b) EGF or (c) EGF and FGF-2, wherein at least 95% of the cells in the composition are symmetrically-dividing neural stem cells, and wherein both EGF and the combination of EGF and FGF-2 promote the symmetrical division of the stem cells.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.