Pluripotent cells that are immunopositive for both the neural progenitor marker nestin and a pluripotent cell marker are provided. The cells exhibit rapid doubling times and can be maintained in vitro for extended periods. Also provided are cell cultures containing the pluripotent cells, a method of transplanting human pluripotent cells to a host, and a method of reducing seizure activity in a subject. These pluripotent cells, when transplanted into the ventricle of a host animal, migrate to the site of damage and adopt a suitably corrective phenotype, resulting in both structural and functional restoration.

Methods, compositions and kits for producing functional neurons, astroctyes, oligodendrocytes and progenitor cells thereof are provided. These methods, compositions and kits find use in producing neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and progenitor cells thereof for transplantation, for experimental evaluation, as a source of lineage- and cell-specific products, and the like, for example for use in treating human disorders of the CNS. Also provided are methods, compositions and kits for screening candidate agents for activity in converting cells into neuronal cells, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and progenitor cells thereof.

The present invention has as its object to find out new conditions that make it possible to induce cell death of non-cardiomyocytes or undifferentiated stem cells more completely and to select cardiomyocytes only.

In order to achieve this object, there are provided in the present application: a cell culture medium for use in inducing cell death of undifferentiated stem cells, wherein the cell culture medium is free of glutamine in the amino acid profile; and also a method for inducing cell death of non-cardiomyocytes by performing cell culture in said cell culture medium. Further provided in this application are: a cell culture medium for use in selecting cardiomyocytes, wherein the cell culture medium is supplemented with lactate, pyruvate or a fatty acid, free of sugar, and free of glutamine in the amino acid profile; and also a method for selecting cardiomyocytes by culturing a mixture of cardiomyocytes and non-cardiomyocytes in said cell culture medium.

A method of promoting neural stem cell differentiation is provided comprising exposing neural stem cells to a dopamine D.sub.4 receptor antagonist.

This invention provides populations of neural progenitor cells, differentiated neurons, glial cells, and astrocytes. The populations are obtained by culturing stem cell populations (such as embryonic stem cells) in a cocktail of growth conditions that initiates differentiation, and establishes the neural progenitor population. The progenitors can be further differentiated in culture into a variety of different neural phenotypes, including dopaminergic neurons. The differentiated cell populations or the neural progenitors can be generated in large quantities for use in drug screening and the treatment of neurological disorders.

A method of generating neural stem cells or motor neurons is disclosed, the method comprising up-regulating a level of at least one exogenous miRNA and/or down-regulating at least one miRNA using an agent which hybridizes to the miRNA in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) or down-regulating Related to testis-specific, vespid and pathogenesis protein 1 (RTVP-1).

Various aspects and embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods of treating a subject having an ocular condition, methods of isolating ocular stem cells, methods of selecting and/or producing ocular grafts for transplantation, and methods of promoting ocular cell regeneration as well as to grafts and preparations containing isolated ocular stem cells characterized by the expression of ABCB5 on their cell surface.

The present invention provides a method for producing astrocytes from neural progenitor cells, the method comprising: (1) culturing neural progenitor cells in a culture medium comprising a neurotrophic factor; (2) dissociating the cells obtained in the step (1); and (3) subjecting the cells obtained in the step (2) to adherent culture in a culture medium comprising a neurotrophic factor using an uncoated culture vessel.

Provided herein are isolated neural stem cells. Also provided are methods for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases using suitable preparations comprising the isolated neural stem cells.

The present invention provides nanostructures for use in proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells. The present invention also provides method of proliferating and differentiating neural stem cells.