Neuronal progenitors from feeder-free human embryonic stem cell culture

Patent Number: 7,531,354

This patent covers methods of generating neural progenitor cells from embryonic stem cells in absence of feeder cells.  Other patents exist that cover feeder-free technology, or technologies using non-mouse feeder cells. 

The current patent covers the generation of the neural progenitors by:

a. contacting adherent primate embryonic stem cells in a serum free differentiation medium consisting essentially of at least the components of a minimum essential medium and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and optionally non-essential amino acids, leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF), an antibiotic, mercaptoethanol or another cell medium selected from B27, N2 or mixtures thereof, with an effective amount of at least one differentiation protein to differentiate said adherent primate embryonic stem cells without embryoid cell formation into adherent neuroprogenitor cells which are greater than 90% nestin positive, and which are PSNCAM and A2B5 negative;

b. passaging said neuroprogenitor cells;

and c. isolating or collecting said neuroprogenitor cells.

This patent could be useful for parties seeking to enter the neural stem cell field and wishing to avoid some of the other patents that cover this space (eg 7,381,561, 7,037,719, 7,011,828, and 7,504,257).

View this patent on the USPTO website.