Stem Cell Therapeutics Inc.

Tetsuro Shingo

Samuel Weiss

Bradley G Thompson

The present invention provides a method of increasing neural stem cell numbers or neurogenesis by using prolactin. The method can be practiced in vivo to obtain more neural stem cells in situ, which can in turn produce more neurons or glial cells to compensate for lost or dysfunctional neural cells. The method can also be practiced in vitro to produce a large number of neural stem cells in culture. The cultured stem cells can be used, for example, for transplantation treatment of patients or animals suffering from neurodegenerative diseases or conditions. In addition, since neural stem cells are a source for olfactory neurons, the present invention also provides methods of increasing olfactory neurons and enhancing olfactory functions.

Prolactin induced increase in neural stem cell numbers

This invention relates to a method of selectively producing neural cells, including neurons or glial cells, in vitro or in vivo. Also provided are methods of treating or ameliorating neurodegenerative disease or medical conditions by producing neural cells. Thus, a combination of factors is used to achieve two steps: increasing the number of neural stem cells and instructing the neural stem cells to selectively become neurons or glial cells.

Combined regulation of neural cell production

The present invention relates to a method of producing neurons that express the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) by subjecting neural stem cells to FGF-1, a protein kinase A activator, a protein kinase C activator, and dopamine/L-DOPA. Surprisingly, when forskolin is used as a protein kinase A activator, it requires only low levels of FGF-1 and forskolin to efficiently produce TH positive neurons from fetal or adult neural stem cells. Also provided are compositions used to produce TH positive neurons and the resulting neural cell culture, as well as a method of treating disease or conditions which are associated with dopamine neuron loss or dysfunction.

Growing community of inventors

Okayama, Japan

Tetsuro Shingo