Abstract: The present invention relates to an immortalized human neural precursor cell line, NGC-407. The cell line has been established from human foetal tissue. The cell line has been immortalized using a retroviral vector containing the v-myc oncogene. The cell line is a neural progenitor cell line capable of differentiating into to astrocytes and neurons including dopaminergic neurons. NGC-407 cells are capable of migrating to glioblastoma tumours implanted into rat brains and form gap junctions with the tumour cells. NGC-407 cells expressing a suicide gene can be be used for delivering activated prodrugs in the form of activated nucleoside analogs to tumours.

Abstract: Cultures of cells immunoreactive for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), as well as for the intermediate filament marker nestin were grown in a medium including epidermal growth factor (EGF) and serum. The cultured cells had the morphology of astroglial cells. The cells can be proliferated in adherent or suspension cultures. Depending on the culture conditions, the cells can be induced to differentiate to neurons or glial cells. The cultures can be expanded over a large number of passages during several months, and survive, express an astroglial phenotype and integrate well after transplantation into both neonatal and adult rat forebrain.

Abstract: The invention relates to neublastin neurotrophic factor polypeptides, nucleic acids encoding neublastin polypeptides, and antibodies that bind specifically to neublastin polypeptides, as well as methods of making and methods of using the same.

Abstract: The invention relates to neublastinneurotrophic factor polypeptides, nucleic acids encoding neublastin polypeptides, and antibodies that bind specifically to neublastin polypeptides, as well as methods of making and methods of using the same.

Abstract: The invention relates to neublastin neurotrophic factor polypeptides, nucleic acids encoding neublastin polypeptides, and antibodies that bind specifically to neublastin polypeptides, as well as methods of making and methods of using the same.

Abstract: Cultures of cells immunoreactive for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), as well as for the intermediate filament marker nestin were grown in a medium including epidermal growth factor (EGF) and serum. The cultured cells had the morphology of astroglial cells. The cells can be proliferated in adherent or suspension cultures. Depending on the culture conditions, the cells can be induced to differentiate to neurons or glial cells. The cultures can be expanded over a large number of passages during several months, and survive, express an astroglial phenotype and integrate well after transplantation into both neonatal and adult rat forebrain.

Abstract: The present invention concerns improved methods and compositions for producing a Neublastin polypeptide as well as local delivery of Neublastin to specific regions of the nervous system including the central nervous system and the eye for example by gene therapy. The invention also concerns Neublastin expression constructs which do not encode a pro-region of a Neublastin polypeptide, which expression construct result in increased secretion of bioactive Neublastin. The invention includes the delivery of Neublastin from transduced or transfected cells encapsulated into a macrocapsule with a semipermeable membrane. The invention further concerns mammalian cells capable of producing Neublastin in increased amounts.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of diagnostic and therapeutic use of proteins and genes, in particular to the diagnostic and therapeutic use of a secreted human hormone/growth factor, Neublasmin, and use or the gene coding for Neublasmin in the diagnosis and treatment of testicular disorders, in particular diagnosis and treatment of germ cell tumours and infertility. The invention also relates to use of Neublasmin in the treatment of CNS disorders. Neublasmin is expressed at high levels in human adult testicles and in developing mouse testicles from pn 22 and onwards. Expression or Neublasmin is strongly up-regulated in carcinoma in situ. Expression is also seen in foetal and adult brain.

Abstract: The present invention relates to human cell lines genetically modified to overexpress bioactive NGF. In another aspect the present invention relates to encapsulated human cell lines genetically modified to overexpress bioactive NGF, which can be used in therapy of Alzheimer's disease, peripheral neuropathy and other neurological disorders amenable to local and prolonged NGF therapy.

Abstract: The invention relates to neublastin neurotrophic factor polypeptides, nucleic acids encoding neublastin polypeptides, and antibodies that bind specifically to neublastin polypeptides, as well as methods of making and methods of using the same.

Abstract: The invention relates to neublastin neurotrophic factor polypeptides, nucleic acids encoding neublastin polypeptides, and antibodies that bind specifically to neublastin polypeptides, as well as methods of making and methods of using the same.

Abstract: Cultures of cells immunoreactive for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), as well as for the intermediate filament marker nestin were grown in a medium including epidermal growth factor (EGF) and serum. The cultured cells had the morphology of astroglial cells. The cells can be proliferated in adherent or suspension cultures. Depending on the culture conditions, the cells can be induced to differentiate to neurons or glial cells. The cultures can be expanded over a large number of passages during several months, and survive, express an astroglial phenotype and integrate well after transplantation into both neonatal and adult rat forebrain.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of therapeutic use of proteins, genes and cells. More specifically the invention relates to therapy based on the biological function of a secreted therapeutic protein. NsG33, in particular for the treatment of disorders of the nervous system. NsG33 is a nerve survival and growth factor with antiapoptotic effects on a cell line with neuronal potential and with neuroprotective and/or neurogenesis effects on a neural precursor cell line and on primary striatal cultures. The invention also relates to novel bioactive NsG33 polypeptide fragments and the corresponding encoding DNA sequences.

Abstract: The invention relates to neublastin neurotrophic factor polypeptides, nucleic acids encoding neublastin polypeptides, and antibodies that bind specifically to neublastin polypeptides, as well as methods of making and methods of using the same.

Abstract: A human embryonal stem cell, neural stem cell, neural precursor cell, neural cell or dopaminergic neuron is genetically modified to overexpress at least one of certain genes identified as regulated in the developing human ventral mesencephalon, and more particularly, up-regulated in the ventral tegmentum. The genes are associated with dopaminergic differentiation.

Abstract: The invention relates to neublastin neurotrophic factor polypeptides, nucleic acids encoding neublastin polypeptides, and antibodies that bind specifically to neublastin polypeptides, as well as methods of making and methods of using the same.

Abstract: The present invention concerns improved methods and compositions for producing a Neublastin polypeptide as well as local delivery of Neublastin to specific regions of the nervous system including the central nervous system and the eye for example by gene therapy. The invention also concerns Neublastin expression constructs which do not encode a pro-region of a Neublastin polypeptide, which expression construct result in increased secretion of bioactive Neublastin. The invention includes the delivery of Neublastin from transduced or transfected cells encapsulated into a macrocapsule with a semipermeable membrane. The invention further concerns mammalian cells capable of producing Neublastin in increased amounts.

Abstract: The invention relates to neublastin neurotrophic factor polypeptides, nucleic acids encoding neublastin polypeptides, and antibodies that bind specifically to neublastin polypeptides, as well as methods of making and methods of using the same.

Abstract: The invention relates to neublastin neurotrophic factor polypeptides, nucleic acids encoding neublastin polypeptides, and antibodies that bind specifically to neublastin polypeptides, as well as methods of making and methods of using the same.

Abstract: The JeT promoter is a recombinant promoter with transcriptional activity comparable to a number of strong mammalian promoters. The promoter consists of five key elements: (1) a TATA box; (2) a transcription initiation site (Inr); (3) a CAT consensus sequence in conjunction with (4) a CArG element and finally, (5) four Sp1 transcription binding sites (GGGCGG) arranged in two tandems.