Isolation, cultivation and uses of stem/progenitor cells

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of cultivating mammalian cells. This method comprises cultivating the mammalian cells on a feeder layer, wherein the feeder layer comprises a stem/progenitor cell population isolated from the amniotic membrane of the umbilical cord

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of cultivating mammalian cells comprising cultivating said mammalian cells on a feeder layer, wherein the feeder layer comprises a stem/progenitor cell population isolated from the amniotic membrane of the umbilical cord. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stem/progenitor cell population isolated from the amniotic membrane of the umbilical cord is an epithelial or mesenchymal stem/progenitor cell population that express the following genes: POU5f1, Bmi-1, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), and secrete Activin A and Follistatin. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the epithelial or mesenchymal stem/progenitor cell population express the following growth factors: connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), placenta-like growth factor PLGF, STAT3, stem cell factor (SCF), Hepatoma-derived Growth Factor (HDGF), Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 (FGF-2), Platelet-derived Growth Factor (PDGF), alpha-Smooth Muscle Actin (α-SMA), Fibronectin, Decorin, and Syndecan-1,2,3,4. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stem/progenitor cell population is isolated from the amniotic membrane of the umbilical cord by a method comprising:
 (a) separating the amniotic membrane from the other components of the umbilical cord in vitro to obtain amniotic membrane tissue;   (b) culturing the amniotic membrane tissue obtained in step (a) under conditions allowing cell proliferation; and   (c) isolating the stem/progenitor cells, and wherein the stem/progenitor cells are epithelial or mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feeder layer essentially consists of a stem/progenitor cell population isolated from the amniotic membrane of the umbilical cord. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stem/progenitor cell population isolated from the amniotic membrane of the umbilical cord is a human stem/progenitor cell population. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mammalian cells are stem cells. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the stem cells are embryonic stem cells. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mammalian cells are cultured under serum free conditions.