65 192709/3 WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A method of generating connective tissue progenitor cells, comprising: (a) culturing adult stem cells in a culture medium which comprises dexamethasone and ascorbic acid; and (b) passaging the connective tissue progenitor cells in a presence of said culture medium, wherein a first passage of said passaging is effected no more than 10 days following initial seeding of said adult stem cells in said culture medium, so as to allow differentiation of said adult stem cells into the connective tissue progenitor cells, wherein the connective tissue progenitor cells are capable of being maintained in a proliferative, non terminally differentiated state for at least 20 passages in culture and are capable of differentiating into at least two cell lineages of a connective tissue; thereby generating the connective tissue progenitor cells. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least two cell lineages of the connective tissue are selected from the group consisting of an osteogenic lineage, a chondrogenic lineage, an adipocytic lineage and a tendon and ligament lineage. 3: The method of claim 1 , wherein said adult stem cells are obtained from a fetal tissue. 4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said adult stem cells are obtained from a postnatal tissue.
. The method of claim 3 wherein said fetal tissue is obtained from a placenta, amniocytes, amniotic membrane, cord blood and/or chorionic villi sample (CVS). 6. The method of claim 4, wherein said postnatal tissue is obtained from umbilical cord, cord blood, foreskin, bone marrow, blood, fat tissue, connective tissue and/or fibroblasts. 67 192709/3 17. The method of claim 2, wherein differentiation into said osteogenic lineage is effected by culturing said connective tissue progenitor cells in a culture medium which comprises said dexamethasone, said ascorbic acid and an inorganic phosphate. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein said culturing is of over-confluent cells. 19. The method of claim 2, wherein differentiation into said chondrogenic lineage is effected by culturing an intact layer of said connective tissue progenitor cells in said culture medium which comprises dexamethasone and ascorbic acid.
. The method of claim 2, wherein differentiation into said chondrogenic lineage is effected by culturing said connective tissue progenitor cells in a culture medium which comprises said dexamethasone, said ascorbic acid and TGF-P3. 21. The method of claim 3, wherein differentiation into said adipogenic lineage is effected by culturing said connective tissue progenitor cells in a medium which comprises 3-isobutyl-l-methylxanthine (IBMX). 22. An isolated cell preparation of connective tissue progenitor cells resultant of the method of any one of claims 1 and 7, wherein the cell preparation comprises connective tissue progenitor cells at a cell density of 5 x l 0 5 - l x l06 cells per cm 2 , wherein the connective tissue progenitor cells are capable of being maintained in a proliferative, non terminally differentiated state for at least 20 passages in culture and are capable of differentiating into at least two cell lineages of a connective tissue. 23. The isolated cell preparation of connective tissue progenitor cells of claim 21, wherein said connective tissue progenitor cells express CD 105, CD 166, CD44, CD29 and HLA-ABC. 68 192709/3 24. The isolated cell preparation of connective tissue progenitor cells of claim 22 or 23, wherein said connective tissue progenitor cells not expressing CD45 and HLA-DR.
. The isolated cell preparation of connective tissue progenitor cells of claim 22, wherein the isolated cell preparation is devoid of feeder cells. 26. The isolated cell preparation of connective tissue progenitor cells of claim 21, wherein the isolated cell preparation is xeno-free. 27. The isolated cell preparation of connective tissue progenitor cells of claim 22, wherein said connective tissue progenitor cells are capable of differentiating into cells of a chondrogenic lineage, an osteogenic lineage, an adipocytic lineage, a tendon and ligament lineage. 28. The isolated cell preparation of connective tissue progenitor cells of claim 22, wherein cells isolated following said at least 20 passages in culture are capable of differentiating into cells of a chondrogenic lineage, an osteogenic lineage, an adipocytic lineage, a tendon and ligament lineage. 29. The isolated cell preparation of connective tissue progenitor cells of claim 22, wherein said connective tissue progenitor cells are capable of forming mineralized matrix.
. The isolated cell preparation of connective tissue progenitor cells of claim 22, wherein said connective tissue progenitor cells are capable of forming a bone tissue. 31. The isolated cell preparation of connective tissue progenitor cells of claim 22, wherein said connective tissue progenitor cells are capable of forming an extracellular matrix (ECM).