US 7,501,281 B2
	Compositions, methods and kits related to thrombin, Notch signaling and stamatogenesis and growth of stem cells
Thomas Maciag, Portland, Me. (US); Lori Maciag, legal representative; Vihren Kolev, Arlington, Mass. (US); and Joseph M. Verdi, Falmouth, Me. (US)
Assigned to Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Portland, Me. (US)
Filed on Aug. 22, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/209,137.
Application 11/209137 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2004/006762, filed on Mar. 05, 2004.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/542399, filed on Feb. 06, 2004.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/537304, filed on Jan. 16, 2004.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/503363, filed on Sep. 15, 2003.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/452425, filed on Mar. 05, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2006/0063253 A1, Mar. 23, 2006
Int. Cl. C12N 5/00 (2006.01); C12N 5/06 (2006.01); C12N 5/08 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 435—377  [435/325; 435/354; 435/365; 435/368]

8 Claims

1. A method for producing a population of pluripotent stem cells, said method comprising expanding a stem cell wherein said cell is contacted with an effective amount of a factor selected from the group consisting of thrombin, soluble Jagged1 (sJ1), and thrombin receptor-activated peptide (TRAP), and combinations thereof, thereby producing a population of pluripotent stem cells, wherein said stem cell is selected from the group consisting of a neural stem cell and a neural crest stem cell.