Patent ID: 6642049
Filing Date: 2003-11-04
Classification: A61K,A61P,C12N

Abstract:
A method of expanding human bone marrow CD34+CD38âˆ’ hematopoietic progenitor cells, including primitive stem cells, in vitro, comprising the steps of:i) isolating and culturing human brain endothelial cells by dissecting segments of blood vessels from the Circle of Willis; ii) contacting isolated CD34+CD38âˆ’ hematopoietic progenitor cells with the isolated and cultured human brain endothelial cells; and iii) co-culturing the contacted CD34+CD38âˆ’ hematopoietic progenitor cells and endothehal cells in the presence of at least one cytokine in an amount sufficient to support amplification/expansion of said CD34+CD38âˆ’ hemratopoietic progenitor cells.