Multipotent cranial neural crest stem cells and non-lineage committed precursor cells are described. The neural crest cells are capable of self-renewal, of being cultured into clonal spheroids including neurospheres, and of differentiation into neurons or other neuroepithelial cells. The non-lineage committed precursors are capable of differentiation into neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, and are capable of de-differentiation into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Methods of obtaining, generating, isolating and culturing cranial neural crest stem cells and non-lineage committed precursor cells are also disclosed, including methods of providing a substantially pure in vitro cell culture consisting essentially of stem cells capable of multipotent differentiation and de-differentiation to a pluripotent state, which may be used for medical research or preserved for future therapeutic use by their autologous donor or a heterologous recipient.
