Methods and compositions for neural progenitor cells

Patent Number: 6890724

This patent teaches how to extract neural precursor cells by expression of a protein called RET. RET is orphan receptor tyrosine kinase essential for enteric neurogenesis

The patent has two independent claims. That are:

A method for the enrichment of neural progenitor cells comprising RET protein, said method comprising: a) combining a mixed population of cells comprising neural-crest derived cells comprising neural progenitor cells with an antibody that specifically binds to at least part of an extracellular sequence of said RET protein; and b) selecting for RET positive cells which include multipotent cells that are insensitive to neuregulin, whereby the mixed population of cells is enriched for neural progenitor cells.

A method for the enrichment of neural progenitor cells, said method comprising: a) combining a mixed population of cells comprising neural-crest derived cells comprising neural progenitor cells comprising RET protein with an antibody that specifically binds to at least part of an extracellular sequence of said RET protein; and b) selecting for RET positive cells which include multipotent cells that are insensitive to neuregulin, whereby the mixed population of cells is enriched for neural progenitor cells.

View this patent on the USPTO website.