Identification and isolation of multipotent cells from non-osteochondral mesenchymal tissue

1. A method for identifying a substantially homogeneous, consecutively passaged cell population comprising multipotent adult cells, which (a) is isolated from human non-osteochondral mesenchymal tissue, (b) expresses CD9, CD10, CD13, CD29, CD44, CD49a, CD51, CD54, CD55, CD58, CD59, CD90 and CD105; and (c) lacks expression of CD11b, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD31, CD34, CD45, CD49f, CD102, CD104, CD106 and CD133, the method comprising:

(a) incubating the cell population with labelled antibodies that bind specifically to CD9, CD10, CD13, CD29, CD44, CD49a, CD51, CD54, CD55, CD58, CD59, CD90, CD105, CD11b, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD31, CD34, CD45, CD49f, CD102, CD104, CD106, and CD133; and

(b) identifying a substantially homogenous cell population by detecting the presence of binding of all of the labeled antibodies that bind specifically to CD9, CD10, CD13, CD29, CD44, CD49a, CD51, CD54, CD55, CD58, CD59, CD90 and CD105, and absence of binding of all of the labeled antibodies that bind specifically to CD11 b, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD31, CD34, CD45, CD49f, CD102, CD104, CD106 and CD133 on the multipotent adult cells.

2. A method for isolating a substantially homogeneous, consecutively passaged cell population comprising multipotent adult cells, which (a) is isolated from human non-osteochondral mesenchymal tissue, (b) expresses CD9, CD10, CD13, CD29, CD44, CD49a, CD51, CD54, CD55, CD58, CD59, CD90 and CD105; and (c) lacks expression of CD11b, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD31, CD34, CD45, CD49f, CD102, CD104, CD106 and CD133, wherein the method comprises:

(a) collecting a human non-osteochondral mesenchymal tissue;

(b) obtaining a first cell suspension from the tissue by enzymatic digestion;

(c) sedimenting and resuspending the cells in a culture medium;

(d) culturing the cells on a solid surface, and eliminating cells that show no adhesion to said solid surface;

(e) expanding by consecutively passaging the cells to generate a consecutively passaged cell population;

(f) incubating a second cell suspension isolated from the consecutively passaged cell population with a labelled anti-CD9 antibody, a labelled anti-CD10 antibody, a labelled anti-CD13 antibody, a labelled anti-CD29 antibody, a labelled anti-CD44 antibody, a labelled anti-CD49a antibody, a labelled anti-CD51 antibody, a labelled anti-CD54 antibody, a labelled anti-CD55 antibody, a labelled anti-CD58 antibody, a labelled anti-CD59 antibody, a labelled anti-CD90 antibody, and a labelled anti-CD105 antibody for a positive selection, and a labelled anti-CD11 b antibody, a labelled anti-CD14 antibody, a labelled anti-CD15 antibody, a labelled anti-CD16 antibody, a labelled anti-CD31 antibody, a labelled anti-CD34 antibody, a labelled anti-CD45 antibody, a labelled anti-CD49f antibody, a labelled anti-CD102 antibody, a labelled anti-CD104 antibody, a labelled anti-CD106 antibody, and a labelled anti-CD133 antibody for a negative selection; and

(g) selecting the substantially homogeneous, consecutively passaged cell population comprising multipotent adult cells that express CD9, CD10, CD13, CD29, CD44, CD49a, CD51, CD54, CD55, CD58, CD59, CD90 and CD105; and lack expression of CD11b, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD31, CD34, CD45, CD49f, CD102, CD104, CD106 and CD133.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the positive and negative cell surface marker profile of the cells of the substantially homogeneous, consecutively passaged cell population is stable over time.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the positive and negative cell surface marker profile of the cells of the substantially homogeneous, consecutively passaged cell population is stable over time.