Neural progenitor cells derived from embryonic stem cells

Abstract

The present invention relates to undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells, methods of cultivation and propagation and production of differentiated cells. In particular it relates to the production of human ES cells capable of yielding somatic differentiated cells in vitro, as well as committed progenitor cells such as neural progenitor cells capable of giving rise to mature somatic cells including neural cells and/or glial cells and uses thereof. This invention provides methods that generate in vitro and in vivo models of controlled differentiation of ES cells towards the neural lineage. The model, and cells that are generated along the pathway of neural differentiation may be used for: the study of the cellular and molecular biology of human neural development, discovery of genes, growth factors, and differentiation factors that play a role in neural differentiation and regeneration, drug discovery and the development of screening assays for teratogenic, toxic and neuroprotective effects.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An enriched population of neural progenitor cells, wherein at least 95% of the cells of the population express N-CAM. 
     
     
         2 . The enriched population of neural progenitor cells of  claim 1 , generated by continuous culturing undifferentiated human embryonic stem (ES) cells for 2-3 weeks on a fibroblast feeder layer to generate colonies and selecting from said colonies, small piled, tightly packed, differentiated cells. 
     
     
         3 . The enriched population of neural progenitor cells of  claim 1 , generated by culturing undifferentiated ES cells in the presence of serum free medium supplemented with growth factors which include epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). 
     
     
         4 . The enriched population of neural progenitor cells of  claim 1 , wherein at least 97% of said cell express nestin. 
     
     
         5 . The enriched population of neural progenitor cells of  claim 1 , wherein at least 89% of said cell express A2B5. 
     
     
         6 . The enriched population of neural progenitor cells of  claim 1 , wherein at least 67% of said cell express vimentin. 
     
     
         7 . The enriched population of neural progenitor cells of  claim 1 , wherein at least 66% of said cell express nestin. 
     
     
         8 . The enriched population of neural progenitor cells of  claim 1 , wherein at least 58% of said cell express vimentin.