Embryonic stem cells and neural progenitor cells derived therefrom

Abstract

The present invention provides undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells, methods of cultivation and propagation and production of differentiated cells. In particular it relates to the production of human ES cells capable of yielding somatic differentiated cells in vitro, and committed progenitor cells such as neural progenitor cells capable of giving rise to mature somatic cells including neural cells and / or glial cells and uses thereof. The invention also provides methods that generate in vitro and in vivo models of controlled differentiation of ES cells towards the neural lineage. The model and the cells generated along the pathway of neural differentiation may be used for the study of the cellular and molecular biology of human neural development, for the discovery of genes, growth factors, and differentiation factors that play a role in neural differentiation and regeneration, for drug discovery and for the development of screening assays for teratogenic, toxic and neuroprotective effects.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 808,382, filed Mar. 14, 2001. [0002] The present invention relates to undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells, methods of cultivation and propagation and production of differentiated cells. In particular it relates to the production of human ES cells capable of yielding somatic differentiated cells in vitro, as well as committed progenitor cells such as neural progenitor cells capable of giving rise to mature somatic cells including neural cells and / or glial cells and uses thereof.INTRODUCTION [0003] The production of human embryonic stem cells which can be either maintained in an undifferentiated state or directed to undergo differentiation into extraembryonic or somatic lineages in vitro allows for the study of the cellular and molecular biology of early human development, functional genomics, generation of differentiated cells from the stem cells for use in ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0019] Much attention recently has been devoted to the potential applications of stem cells in biology and medicine, the properties of pluripotentiality and immortality are unique to ES cells and enable investigators to approach many issues in human biology and medicine for the first time. ES cells potentially can address the shortage of donor tissue for use in transplantation procedures, particularly where no alternative culture system can support growth of the required committed stem cell. However, it must be noted that almost all of the wide ranging potential applications of ES cell technology in human medicine-basic embryological research, functional genomics, growth factor and drug discovery, toxicology, and cell transplantation are based on the assumption that it will be possible to grow ES cells on a large scale, to introduce genetic modifications into them, and to direct their differentiation. Present systems fall short of these goals, but there are indications of progress to come. The identification of novel factors driving pluripotential stem cell growth or stem cell selection protocols to eliminate the inhibitory influence of differentiated cells, both offer a way forward for expansion and cloning of human ES cells.

[0022] A suitable source of human ES derived neurons would be desirable since their availability would provide real advantages for basic and applied studies of CNS development and disease. Controlled differentiation of human ES cells into the neural lineage will allow experimental dissection of the events during early development of the nervous system, and the identification of new genes and polypeptide factors which may have a therapeutic potential such as induction of regenerative processes. Additional pharmaceutical applications may include the creation of new assays for toxicology and drug discovery, such as high-throughput screens for neuroprotective compounds. Generation of neural progenitors from ES cells in vitro may serve as an unlimited source of cells for tissue reconstruction and for the delivery and expression of genes in the nervous system.

[0029] In another aspect there is provided a differentiated committed progenitor cell line that may be cultivated for prolonged periods and give rise to large quantities of progenitor cells.

[0053] providing a differentiating signal under conditions which are non-permissive for stem cell renewal, do not kill cells and induces unidirectional differentiation toward extraembryonic lineages.

[0060] In an additional aspect of the invention method may be used for directing stem cells to differentiate toward a somatic lineage. Furthermore, the method allows the establishment of a pure preparation of progenitor cells from a desired lineage and facilitate the establishment of a pure somatic progenitor cell line.

Problems solved by technology

EC cells however had limitations.

They often contained chromosomal abnormalities, and their ability to differentiate into multiple tissue types was often limited.

The cells isolated by Bongso and coworkers had the morphology expected of pluripotent stem cells, but these early studies did not employ feeder cell support, and it was impossible to achieve long term maintenance of the cultures.

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