Method of inducing and maintaining neuronal cells

Patent Number: 7,264,968

This patent covers methods of generating cells with a neuronal phenotype from cells that possess the activin receptor. Specifically, the invention provides the finding that ectodermal tissue can be induced to differentiate into neuronal tissues by inhibiting signaling of the activin receptor.

This patent has very broad reaching consequences since conceptually it covers activin receptor containing cells REGARDLESS OF ORIGIN. So no one can generate neurons by inhibition of activin receptor signalling and culture in neurotrophic factors from embryonic stem cells, or primordial germ stem cells, or any type of stem cell (or cell for that matter) without licensing this patent.

View this patent on the USPTO website.