The present invention concerns the field of stem cell biology, and in particular relates to a method for producing an isolated bona fide population of mammalian stem cells, and uses of the stem cells thus produced. Human glioblastomas (hGBMs) have now been shown to contain a minor subset of cells bearing the defining features of somatic stem cells (SCs) and the ability to establish, expand and perpetuate these tumors. They are defined stem-like tumor propagating cells (TPCs). This has caused a paradigmatic shift in the way we interpret hGBM physiology, for it identifies TPCs as a major culprit to be tackled for the development of novel therapeutics. It also suggests that studying the regulatory mechanisms of normal neurogenesis may point to specific inhibitors of TPCs.
