Novel stem cells, nucleotide sequences and proteins therefrom

Abstract

The present invention provides novel stem cells, nucleotide sequences and proteins therefrom. More specifically, the present invention provides Pax7+/Myf5− stem cells and methods for identifying and isolating them. Also provided is a MEGF10 nucleotide sequence and protein.

1 .- 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method of treating one or more muscular diseases or disorders in a subject comprising administering to the subject, by intramuscular injection, isolated pax7+/Myf5− stem cells or a composition comprising isolated pax7+/Myf5− stem cells. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the muscular disease or disorder is a muscular dystrophy. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the muscular dystrophy is Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD), myotonic dystrophy (Steinert's disease), limb-girdle muscular dystrophies, facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSH), congenital muscular dystrophies, oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD), distal muscular dystrophies or Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the isolated pax7+/Myf5− stem cells administered to the subject are immunocompatable to the subject. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the isolated pax7+/Myf5− stem cells comprise one or more of the following markers: α-7 integrin, β-1 integrin, CD34, Syn 4, or N-CAM. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the isolated pax7+/Myf5− stem cells comprise an α-7 integrin marker. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the isolated pax7+/Myf5− stem cells comprise a β-1 integrin marker. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the isolated pax7+/Myf5− stem cells comprise a CD34 marker. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the isolated pax7+/Myf5− stem cells comprise a Syn 4 marker. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the isolated pax7+/Myf5− stem cells comprise a N-CAM marker. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the isolated pax7+/Myf5− stem cells have been transformed with a heterologous nucleotide sequence of interest. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the composition further comprises one or more of the following: a) a cell culture or growth medium; b) a cryopreservation medium; c) a pharmaceutically acceptable delivery medium, or d) a combination thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the composition further comprises Pax7+/Myf5+ skeletal muscle progenitor cells. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the composition further comprises a cell culture or growth medium. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the composition further comprises a cryopreservation medium. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the composition further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable delivery medium. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the composition comprises a ratio of isolated pax7+/Myf5− stem cells to pax7+/Myf5+ progenitor cells greater than about 1 to 10. 
     
     
         31 . A method of treating one or more muscular diseases or disorders in a subject comprising transplanting isolated pax7+/Myf5− stem cells or a composition comprising isolated pax7+/Myf5− stem cells to the subject. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the muscular diseases or disorders are selected from muscular dystrophy is Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD), myotonic dystrophy (Steinert's disease), limb-girdle muscular dystrophies, facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSH), congenital muscular dystrophies, oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD), distal muscular dystrophies and Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the composition further comprises one or more of the following: a) a cell culture or growth medium; b) a cryopreservation medium; c) a pharmaceutically acceptable delivery medium, or d) a combination thereof.