Isolated populations of renal stem cells and methods of isolating and using same

Abstract

Isolated populations of fetal renal stem cells and progenitor cells are provided. Also provided are methods of generating and using these isolated populations of cells.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating a renal damage in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of renal cells comprising cells having a NCAM+ signature, thereby treating the renal damage in the subject. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said administering is to a damaged kidney of the subject. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said renal cells comprising at least 50% cells having a NCAM+ signature comprise a NCAM+/EpCAM+ signature. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said renal cells comprising at least 50% cells having a NCAM+ signature comprise a NCAM+/CD133+ signature. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said renal cells comprising at least 50% cells having a NCAM+ signature comprise a NCAM+/CD24+ signature. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising enriching for said renal cells comprising at least 50% cells having a NCAM+ signature by culturing fetal renal cells of a fetal renal tissue in a culture medium devoid of serum prior to said administering. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said renal cells are seeded on a scaffold. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said renal cells comprise at least 60% cells having a NCAM+ signature. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said renal cells comprise at least 70% cells having a NCAM+ signature. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least 50% of said cells have said NCAM+ signature.