Ex vivo expansion of primary animal cells

摘要

An ex vivo method of expanding animal cells whose differentiation state is controllable by modulating TGF-beta signaling includes the steps of: (a) providing an animal subject having cells with a first phenotype; (b) isolating the cells from the animal subject; (c) placing the cells in an ex vivo culture system including a culture vessel having at least one surface and a medium in contact with the at least one surface, the medium being essentially free of intact amniotic membrane and feeder cells; and (d) culturing the cells in the medium under conditions which downregulate TGF-beta signaling in the cells and allow the cells to proliferate while maintaining the first phenotype.