This disclosure provides novel and innovative compositions of
neuronal regeneration-promoting cells (NRPCs), methods for generating NRPCs, and methods for treating subjects having damaged
nerve cells using NRPCs. In one embodiment, the NRPCs are derived from
tonsil-derived mesenchymal stem cells and express CD26, CD106, CD112, CD121a, and CD141, where CD121a has an expression level of approximately 30% or higher, and this expression level is measured immediately after thawing the NRPCs from a thawed state. Furthermore, the NRPCs are configured to promote
axon formation on neuronal cells.