Lgr5+ SOMATIC STEM CELLS

Abstract

A method for treating a condition, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a composition that contains somatic stem cells that are 2 to less than 6 micrometers in size and Lgr5+, wherein the condition is selected from the group consisting of neurodegenerative disorder, muscle-degenerative disease, cancer, metabolic disorder, autoimmune disorder, inflammatory disorder, heart disorder, circulatory disorder, a condition associated with aging, and damaged tissue.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for treating a condition, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a composition that contains somatic stem cells that are 2 to less than 6 micrometers in size and Lgr5+, wherein the condition is selected from the group consisting of a neurodegenerative disorder, a muscle-degenerative disease, a cancer, a metabolic disorder, an autoimmune disorder, an inflammatory disorder, a heart disorder, a circulatory disorder, a condition associated with aging, and a damaged tissue. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the somatic stem cells are prepared by a process including:
 incubating a tissue sample from a subject with a divalent cation chelating agent until said tissue sample is separated into an upper layer and a lower layer, wherein said tissue sample contains a plurality of cells; and   collecting the upper layer, wherein the upper layer contains somatic stem cells that are 2 to less than 6 micrometers in size and Lgr5+, whereby the mixture is prepared.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said divalent cation chelating agent comprises EDTA. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said divalent cation chelating agent comprises citrate. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said tissue sample is incubated with said divalent cation chelating agent for 6 to 48 hours. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said tissue sample is incubated with said divalent cation chelating agent at a temperature of 4° C. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein less than 1% of cells in the upper layer expresses CD133. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the upper layer contains blastomere-like stem cells (BLSCs). 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said somatic stem cells are CD9− and CD349−. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said somatic stem cells are Oct4+, Nanog+, CD133−, and CD66e−. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said tissue sample is a blood sample or bone marrow sample. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the condition is selected from a group consisting of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson disease, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, ALS, acute brain injury, head trauma, spinal cord injury, peripheral nerve injury, ischemic brain injury, stroke, muscular dystrophy, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), postatitis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, heart failure myocardial infarction, cardiovascular disease, burn, flesh wound, age damaged cells, and age damaged tissue.