ADULT HUMAN NEURAL STEM/PROGENITOR CELLS FROM THE OLFACTORY EPITHELIUM AND OLFACTORY LAMINA PROPRIA, ISOLATION METHOD, PROLIFERATION AND DIFFERENTIATION IN SERUM FREE CULTURE MEDIUM AND UTILIZATION FOR TRANSPLANTATION

摘要

This invention relates to the process of obtaining a culture of adult human neural progenitor/stem cells obtained from epithelium and olfactory lamina propria of a human adult. Adult human neural stem/progenitor cells were tested using 26 biopsies of both female and male human, with ages ranging from 21 to 45 years old. This invention further relates to a serum-free culture medium formulation that enables the proliferation of adult human neural progenitor/stem cells for seven months, under strict serum-free conditions, with a doubling time of 15 days. This invention also provides a new culturing process for the proliferation of adult human neural progenitor/stem cells which obviate the formation of neurospheres. This invention provides a method of differentiating adult human neural progenitor/stem cells into immature neurons. This invention shows that olfactory epithelium human cells are a reliable source for the recovery of spinal cord tissue injuries.