Isolation and characterization of neural stem cells from the adult human olfactory bulb

We have recently isolated stem cells deriving from the olfactory bulbs of a dult patients undergoing particularly invasive neurosurgery. After improvin g our experimental conditions, we have now obtained neural stem cells accor ding to clonal analysis. The cells can be expanded, established in continuo us cell lines and differentiated into the three classical neuronal phenotyp es (neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes). Also, after exposition to l eukemia inhibitory factor, we are able to improve the number of neurons, an ideal biological source for transplantation in various neurodegenerative d isorders.