PNS cell lines and methods of use therefor

Abstract

Conditionally-immortalized PNS progenitor cell lines are provided. Such cell lines, which may be clonal, may be used to generate neurons. The cell lines and/or differentiated cells may be used for the development of therapeutic agents to prevent and treat a variety of PNS-related diseases. The cell lines and/or differentiated cells may also be used in assays and for the general study of PNS cell development, death and abnormalities.

1 - 46 . (canceled)  
     
     
         47 . A method of transplanting a dorsal root ganglion cell into a mammal, comprising administering to a mammal a cell produced by: 
 (a) transfecting a dorsal root ganglion progenitor cell, plated on a first surface and in a first growth medium that permit proliferation, with DNA encoding a selectable marker and a regulatable oncogene, to produce transfected cells;    (b) passaging said transfected cells onto a second surface and in a second growth medium that permit attachment and proliferation, thereby producing a conditionally-immortalized dorsal root ganglion progenitor cells; and    (c) culturing said conditionally-immortalized dorsal root ganglion progenitor cells under conditions inhibiting expression of the regulatable oncogene.