Somatic stem cells

Abstract

A somatic stem cell that is CD10+, CXCR4+, and CD31+ and another somatic stem cell that is CD105+, CD44+, and nestin+. Also disclosed are both a method of preparing these stem cells and a method of using them to treat degenerative diseases, e.g., a muscle-degenerative disease. The invention further includes making and using liver cells derived from the somatic cell that is CD105+, CD44+, and nestin+.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for treating a muscle injury or a muscle-degenerative disease, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of isolated somatic stem cells prepared by a procedure including:
 incubating a bodily fluid sample containing a plurality of cells with EDTA or heparin in a container until the sample is separated into an upper layer and a lower layer,   collecting the upper layer,   isolating from the upper layer a population of small somatic stem cells that are 0.3-6.0 micrometers in size, and   culturing the small somatic stem cells in a medium containing R-Spondin-1, SCF, G-CSF, bFGF, EGF, and PDGF, whereby the isolated somatic stem cells are prepared.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the somatic stem cells are CD10+, CXCR4+, and CD31+. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the somatic stem cells are CD105+, CD44+, and Nestin+. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bodily fluid sample is a blood sample or a bone marrow sample. 
     
     
         5 . An extracorporeal bioartificial liver device comprising a cartridge that contains an array of hollow fibers and liver cells placed in the extracapillary space between the hollow fibers, wherein the hollow fibers are each formed of a membrane having a pore size of 0.1 μm to 0.3 μm, wherein the liver cells are prepared by a procedure including:
 incubating a bodily fluid sample containing a plurality of cells with EDTA or heparin in a container until the sample is separated into an upper layer and a lower layer, 
 collecting the upper layer, 
 isolating from the upper layer a population of small somatic stem cells that are 0.3-6.0 micrometers in size, 
 culturing the small somatic stem cells in a medium containing R-Spondin-1, SCF, G-CSF, bFGF, EGF, and PDGF, whereby isolated somatic stem cells are prepared, 
 culturing the isolated somatic stem cells in a first differentiating medium containing activing, 
 culturing the isolated somatic stem cell in a second differentiating medium containing basic FGF and BMP2, 
 culturing the isolated somatic stem cell in a third differentiating medium containing HGF, and DEX, and OSM, and 
 collecting liver cells thus obtained, the liver cells expressing albumin, transferrin, and HNF3B. 
 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the cartridge is in a cylindrical shape having a first opening at one terminus and a second opening on the other terminus, and wherein the first opening is affixed to a first passage and the second opening is affixed to a second passage, the two passages extending away from the cartridge. 
     
     
         7 . A method of treating acute liver failure, the method comprising:
 identifying a subject in need of treatment,   attaching the device of  claim 5  to an artery of the subject through the first passage and a vein of the subject through the second passage,   perfusing blood from the subject through the capillary space inside each of the hollow fibers in the cartridge, and   allowing cleansing of blood by permitting the crossover of toxic solutes from the blood to the liver cells cultured in the extracapillary space between the hollow fibers and also allowing the diffusion of vital metabolites from the liver cells to the blood returning to the subject undergoing treatment.   
     
     
         8 . A method of making an extracorporeal bioartificial liver device, comprising:
 incubating a bodily fluid sample containing a plurality of cells with EDTA or heparin in a container until the sample is separated into an upper layer and a lower layer,   collecting the upper layer,   isolating from the upper layer a population of small somatic stem cells that are 0.3-6.0 micrometers in size,   culturing the small somatic stem cells in a medium containing R-Spondin-1, SCF, G-CSF, bFGF, EGF, and PDGF, whereby isolated somatic stem cells are prepared,   culturing the isolated somatic stem cells in a first differentiating medium containing activing,   culturing the isolated somatic stem cell in a second differentiating medium containing basic FGF and BMP2,   culturing the isolated somatic stem cell in a third differentiating medium containing HGF, and DEX, and OSM,   collecting liver cells thus obtained, the liver cells expressing albumin, transferrin, and HNF3B, and   placing the liver cells within the extracapillary space between hollow fibers in a cartridge, wherein the hollow fibers are each formed of a membrane having a pore size of 0.1 μm to 0.3 μm.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the cartridge is in a cylindrical shape having a first opening at one terminus and a second opening on the other terminus, and wherein the first opening is affixed to a first passage and the second opening is affixed to a second passage, the two passages extending away from the cartridge.