Patent ID: 8501397

Claim:
A method to obtain a multipotent stem cell population that proliferates and differentiates into at least two cell types by increasing the percentage of stem cells in an adult mammalian heterogeneous cell population, said method comprising the following: A) isolating an adult heterogeneous cell population from a mammal, wherein said heterogeneous cell population consists of both multipotent stem cells and non-stem cells, B) exposing the isolated heterogeneous cell population to a stress of an osmolality between 619 and 623 mmol/kg sodium chloride, wherein such exposure occurs for duration of time such that the non-stem cells are selectively killed and the surviving cell population has a higher percentage of stem cells; C) culturing the surviving cell population to increase the number of multipotent stem cells; and D) verifying that the cultured multipotent stem population differentiates into two or more cell types selected from the group consisting of osteoblasts, adipocytes, neurons, and odontoblasts.