Patent ID: 6602708
Filing Date: 2003-08-05
Classification: C12N

Abstract:
A method for producing a homogeneous population of neural cells which method comprises:a) enhancing the replication of an undifferentiated first neural cell with an immortalizing oncogene including, or having associated therewith, a control means responsive to temperature; and b) exposing said replicated first neural cell of step a) to an environment by an in vitro incubation step which is selected from the group consisting of: (i) incubation in the presence of mitotically active primary cells obtained from the same region of the central nervous system from which said first neural cell came; and (ii) incubation in the presence of an extract of mitotically active primary cells obtained from the same region of the central nervous system from which said first neural cell came: said incubation of said neural cell being carried out to produce fully differentiated active neural cells, committed to a single neural phenotype, but maintaining any replicative drive of undifferentiated neural cells by not raising the temperature to a non-permissive temperature of said oncogene control means.