Patent Document ID: 9890358
Application ID: 12595220
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of activating a latent neural stem cell population contained within a neural cell population to promote proliferation of the latent neural stem cells, comprising: (1) providing a neural cell population, wherein the neural cell population comprises one or a plurality of latent neural stem cells that are present as dissociated cells from adult hippocampus, wherein the latent neural stem cells are not proliferating; and (2) introducing the neural cell population to a neurosphere-forming culture medium under conditions which induce membrane depolarization of the neural cell population to promote proliferation of otherwise latent neural stem cells in the plurality of latent neural stem cells and formation therefrom of neurospheres, wherein the neural stem cells that proliferation are self-renewing, multipotent and are DCX −ve and PNA +ve , and proliferation of the neural stern cells causes an increase in number of neurospheres that comprise the neural stem cells that are self-renewing, multipotent and are DCX −ve and PNA +ve .