Neuroepithelial stem cells and glial-restricted intermediate precursors

Patent Number: 7037720

This patent appears to cover a progenitor cell of neuronal lineage. Specifically the patent has 2 independent claims. The first covers a population of neuroepithelial stem cells derived from embryonic sources which are dependent of FGF for proliferation and can differentiate into CNS neuronal cells and CNS glial cells, The second covers a population restricted to the glial lineage but can differentiate into the cells mentioned previously. Cells of similar characteristics are being considered for numerous uses, including treatment of spinal cord injury (Han SS et al. Transplantation of glial-restricted precursor cells into the adult spinal cord: survival, glial-specific differentiation, and preferential migration in white matter. Glia. 2004 Jan 1;45(1):1-16)

View this patent on the USPTO website.