Methods for reprogramming cells and uses thereof

Abstract

An in vitro human neural multipotent, unipotent, or somatic cell possessing all of the following characteristics: is derived from the reprogramming of a somatic cell, a progenitor cell or a stem cell that exhibits at least a transient increase in intracellular levels of at least one reprogramming agent; is not differentiated from a pluripotent cell; expresses one or more markers of a multipotent, unipotent or somatic cell not characteristic of a neural stem cell, neural precursor cell, neural progenitor cell, neuroblast, or neuron; is not a cancerous cell; is stable and not artificially maintained by forced gene expression and may be maintained in standard neural stem cell media or neural media; and does not exhibit uncontrolled growth, teratoma formation, and tumor formation in vivo; wherein the cell comprises at least one polypeptide or an expression vector encoding at least one polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: Musashi1 (Msi1); Ngn2; Msi1 and Ngn2; Msi1 and methyl-CpG binding domain protein 2 (MBD2); Ngn2 and MBD2; Msi1, Ngn2 and MBD2; Achaete-Scute Homolog 1 (Ascl1); Msi1, Ngn2 and Ascl1; Msi1, Ngn2, MBD2 and Ascl1; Sox2; Msi1, Ngn2 and Sox2; and Msi1, Ngn2, MBD2 and Sox2; wherein the expression vector is transiently expressed.