Patent ID: 6969608

Claim:
A composition consisting of an isolated population of neural stem cells of a postnatal mammal and a carrier, wherein said neural stem cells form non-adherent clusters in culture, are self renewing, proliferate in an EGF-independent manner, express nestin, and differentiate, in the presence of serum, into neurons expressing tyrosine hydroxylase, said stem cells produced by a method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a culture of peripheral tissue containing sensory receptors from said mammal; (b) isolating neural stem cells from said peripheral tissue, based on the tendency of said neural stem cells to aggregate and form non-adherent clusters in culture, wherein said neural stem cells form non-adherent clusters in culture, are self renewing, proliferate in an EGF-independent manner, express nestin, and differentiate, in the presence of serum, into neurons expressing tyrosine hydroxylase.