Some aspects of this invention are based, at least in part, on the discoveries (i) pluripotent stem cell populations can be obtained from olfactory mucosa, (ii) that various regions of the olfactory mucosa contain pluripotent stem cells, (iii) that cells from these olfactory mucosa derived stem cell populations can be maintained in cultures containing EGF and/or bFGF, (iv) that cells from these olfactory mucosa derived stem cell populations are able to form neurospheres, and/or (v) that cells from these olfactory mucosa derived stem cell populations can differentiate into various lineages, including mesenchymal and neuronal lineages.
