Culturing ectodermal cells under reduced oxygen tension
View Patent ↗Disclosed are methods for expanding stem cells that use a unique combination of environmental factors and cell culture conditions to produce stem cells having enhanced proliferation and differentiation characteristics. Also disclosed are methods for enhancing the engraftment and/or migratory potential of stem cells for therapeutic uses. Stem cells having unique proliferation, differentiation, migratory and engraftment characteristics are also disclosed.
1. A method for culturing ectodermal cells comprising:
providing ectodermal cells; and
culturing said ectodermal cells under reduced oxygen tension in a medium containing serum and at least one purified growth factor;
wherein said reduced oxygen tension increases the expansion of said ectodermal cells relative to said culturing under atmospheric oxygen conditions.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said ectodermal cells comprise neural stern cells.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said medium comprises between about 0.02 and 2 percent serum.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said oxygen tension is less than about 10%.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said oxygen tension is less than about 5%.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one purified growth factor comprises epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, or a combination thereof.
7. A method for expanding ectodermal cells comprising:
providing ectodermal cells;
contacting said ectodermal cells with a medium comprising serum and at least one purified growth factor; and
culturing said ectodermal cells under low oxygen;
wherein said culturing increases the expansion of said ectodermal cells relative to said culturing under atmospheric oxygen conditions.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said ectodermal cells are neural stem cells.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein said medium comprises less than about 5% serum.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein said medium comprises between about 0.02 and 2 percent serum.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein said low oxygen is less than about 10% oxygen.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein said low oxygen is less than about 5% oxygen.
13. The method of claim 7 , wherein said at least one purified growth factor comprises epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, or a combination thereof.