Purified populations of stem cells

Abstract

The invention is directed to a purified population of mammalian endothelial, muscle, or neural stem cells. The invention further provides methods for isolating such populations of cells; methods for using such populations of cells for treating mammals; methods for making vectors for gene therapy; and methods for carrying out gene therapy with such vectors.

1 - 98 . (canceled)  
     
     
         99 . A purified population of mammalian muscle or neural stem cells.  
     
     
         100 . The purified population of mammalian stem cells according to claim  1 , wherein the stem cells are muscle stem cells.  
     
     
         101 . The purified population of mammalian stem cells according to claim  1 , wherein the stem cells are neural stem cells.  
     
     
         102 . The purified population of mammalian stem cells according to claim  1 , wherein the stem cells are human stem cells.  
     
     
         103 . The purified population of mammalian stem cells according to claim  1 , wherein the stem cells express a VEGF receptor.  
     
     
         104 . The purified population of mammalian stem cells according to claim  5 , wherein the VEGF receptor is FLK-1.  
     
     
         105 . The purified population of mammalian stem cells according to claim  1 , wherein the stem cells express CD34.  
     
     
         106 . The purified population of mammalian stem cells according to claim  1 , wherein the stem cells express AC133.  
     
     
         107 . A method for isolating a purified population of mammalian endothelial, muscle, or neural stem cells comprising: 
 contacting a mixture of cells comprising mammalian endothelial, muscle, or neural stem cells that express an antigen characteristic of the stem cells with a molecule that binds specifically to the extracellular portion of the antigen, whereby the stem cells can be distinguished from contaminating cells that do not bind specifically to the extracellular portion of the antigen; and    isolating the stem cells that express the antigen from the contaminating cells.    
     
     
         108 . The method of claim  9 , wherein the antigen is selected from the group consisting of a VEGF receptor, CD34, AC133, and any combination thereof.  
     
     
         109 . The method of claim  10 , wherein the VEGF receptor is FLK-1.  
     
     
         110 . The method of claim  10 , wherein the molecule that binds specifically to the extracellular portion of the VEGF receptor is a monoclonal antibody of fragment thereof that contains the complementarity determining region thereof.  
     
     
         111 . A method for inducing neovascularization, neomyogenesis, or neoneurogenesis in a mammal in need thereof, the method comprising treating the mammal with an effective amount of a purified population of mammalian endothelial, muscle, or neural stem cells.  
     
     
         112 . The method of claim  13 , wherein the mammal is in need of cardiac or peripheral neovascularization.  
     
     
         113 . The method of claim  13 , wherein the mammal in need of neovascularization has a wound.  
     
     
         114 . The method of claim  15 , wherein the wound is an acute wound, a chronic wound, a burn, or an ulcer.  
     
     
         115 . The method of claim  13 , wherein the mammal in need of neovascularization suffers from cardiac or peripheral ischemia; sickle cell anemia; thalassemia; injury to cardiac or skeletal muscle; injury to the central nervous system; Parkinson's disease; Alzheimer's disease; or muscular dystrophy.  
     
     
         116 . The method of claim  13 , wherein the mammal in need of neovascularization is recovering from cardiovascular surgery.  
     
     
         117 . The method of claim  13 , wherein a gene under the control of a regulatory sequence has been introduced into the purified population of stem cells, whereby the stem cells express the protein encoded by the gene.  
     
     
         118 . The method of claim  22 , wherein the gene encodes Factor VIII, von Willebrand factor, insulin, tissue plasminogen activator, an interleukin, or a growth factor.  
     
     
         119 . The method of claim  23 , wherein the growth factor is erythropoietin, thrombopoietin, PDGF, G-CSF, GM-CSF, or VEGF.