MULTIPOTENT STEM CELLS AND USES THEREOF
The invention provides a quiescent stem cell having the capacity to differentiate into ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm, and which does not express cell surface markers including MHC class I, MHC class II, CD44, CD45, CD13, CD34, CD49c, CD73, CD105, CD90, CD66A, CD66E, CXCR4, CD133 or an SSEA. The invention further provides a proliferative stem cell, which expresses genes including Oct-4, Nanog, Sox2, GDF3, P16INK4, BMI, Notch, HDAC4, TERT, Rex-1, TWIST, KLF-4 and Stella but does not express cell surface markers including MHC class I, MHC class II, CD44, CD45, CD13, CD34, CD49c, CD73, CD105, CD90, CD66A, CD66E, CXCF4, CD133 or an SSEA. The cells of the invention can be isolated from adult mammals, have embryonic cell characteristics, and can form embryoid bodies. Methods for obtaining the stem cells, as well as methods of treating diseases and differentiating the stem cells, are also provided.
1 . An isolated human adult stem cell which is proliferative and capable of differentiating into ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm, expresses at least one of Oct-4, Nanog, and Sox-2, and does not detectibly express CD44, CD45, CD90, CD49c and CD34, and wherein the human adult stem cell is separated from synovial fluid.
2 . An isolated human adult stem cell which is proliferative and capable of differentiating into ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm, expresses at least one of Oct-4, Nanog, and Sox-2, and does not detectibly express CD13, CD45, CD90, CD34, CD44 and further does not detectibly express at least one of MHC class I, MHC class II, CD49c, and CD73, wherein the human adult stem cell is separated from synovial fluid.
3 . The cell of claim 1 , wherein said cell is substantially purified.
4 . The cell of claim 1 , comprising a heterologous nucleic acid sequence operably linked to a nucleic acid vector.
5 . The cell of claim 4 , wherein the heterologous nucleic acid sequence operably linked to a nucleic acid vector is operably linked to a promoter for a stem cell-specific factor.
6 . The cell of claim 5 , wherein the promoter is a promoter for a gene selected from the group consisting of: Oct-4, Nanog, Sox-2, Rex-1, GDF-3 and Stella.