Compositions, methods and kits related to thrombin, Notch signaling and stamatogenesis and growth of stem cells

Patent Number: 7,501,281

This patent covers means of generating pluripotent stem cells out of neural stem cells or neural crest stem cells.  This is accomplished through contacting the neural stem cell or neural crest stem cell with an agent chosen from the following: a) thrombin; b) soluble Jagged1; c) thrombin receptor activated peptide, or d) a combination.

It appears the inventors discovered that various progenitor cells have membrane bound inactive growth factors that can be activated by the proteolytic activity of thrombin. 

This patent is useful for expansion of neural stem cells.  Interestingly it does not seem to be limited to in vitro use.  The modulation of fibrinolytic systems in vivo for stem cell manipulation would be a novel research direction.

Patents are issued on Jagged.  Additionally, manipulation of stem cell self renewal by Jagged/Notch has also been described.

View this patent on the USPTO website.