| abstract |
The present invention relates to the growth of cells in culture under conditions that promote cell survival, proliferation, and/or cellular differentiation. The present inventors have found that proliferation was promoted and apoptosis reduced when cells were grown in lowered oxygen as compared to environmental oxygen conditions traditionally employed in cell culture techniques. Further, the inventors found that differentiation of precursor cells to specific fates also was enhanced in lowered oxygen where a much greater number and fraction of dopaminergic neurons were obtained when mesencephalic precursors were expanded and differentiated in lowered oxygen conditions. Thus at more physiological oxygen levels the proliferation and differentiation of CNS precursors is enhanced, and lowered oxygen is a useful adjunct for ex vivo generation of specific neuron types. Methods and compositions exploiting these findings are described. |