Serum-free medium for mesenchymal stem cells

Patent Number: 7109032

This patent is useful for parties seeking to expand mesenchymal stem cells, particularly for clinical applications. The invention generally teaches tissue culture media and techniques that alleviate the need for using serum. Since serum is usually from animal origin (fetal calf serum) or in some cases of human origin, there exists possibilities of contaminating cellular sources. The invention has two independent claims. The first is a method of culturing mesenchymal cells in a media that contains FGF-2, LIF, SCF, pantothenate biotin and selenium. The second is a cell culture media that contains FGF-2, LIF, SCF, pantothenate, biotin and selenium. This patent is a methodology patent, but most likely will require in-licensing of other patents, such as the composition of matter patent on mesenchymal stem cells, for example # 5,486,359.

View this patent on the USPTO website.