Method for generating dopaminergic cells derived from neural precursors
US6284539A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 9, 1998 |
| Grant date | Sep 4, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 9, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC12N2510/00
- WIPO fieldPharmaceuticals
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The present invention describes a novel method to direct a particular set of fate choice decisions by multipotential precursor cells from the central nervous system. Specifically we show that introducing the gene coding for the nuclear receptor, Nurr1, into central nervous system (CNS) stem cells causes cells to adopt a dopaminergic cell fate. One use of this technology would be to prepare in vitro neural populations enriched in dopaminergic cells for transplantation in Parkinson's Disease or other neurological disorders. Furthermore, the finding that Nurr1 expression induces a dopaminergic phenotype suggests that introducing this gene into the brains of patients in which dopaminergic cells are degenerating or have been injured may promote the functional recovery of these neurons and thus the clinical recovery of the patient. Finally, the technology described in this application could be incorporated into a program of drug screening or gene discovery.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.