Herein is reported a feed mixing device for adding feed solutions with a non-physiologically pH value to a cell cultivation vessel comprising a chamber for mixing the feed solutions prior to their addition to the cell cultivation vessel as well as its use. With the feed mixing device as reported herein feed components can be provided in solution at a pH value at which they have good solubility and/or good stability whereby the pH value can be clearly different from the pH value of the cultivation medium, i.e. different from the physiological pH value. This allows performing the cultivation with more flexibility compared to a cultivation in which the pH value of the feed solution is limited to a small range around the pH value of the cultivation.

Formulations and methods to increase the production of recombinant proteins, and other aspects, are disclosed. The formulations and methods relate to increasing mannose or calcium concentration, or both, in a cell culture medium formulation for culturing cells that express recombinant proteins. In some embodiments, a mammalian cell culture medium formulation is provided that has at least one of mannose at about 3.5 g/L or more and calcium in a range from about 1.5 mM to about 9.5 mM. Numerous other aspects and/or embodiments are provided.

The present invention relates to Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR) that are recombinant chimeric proteins able to redirect immune cell specificity and reactivity toward CLL1 positive cells. The engineered immune cells endowed with such CARs are particularly suited for immunotherapy for treating cancer, in particular leukemia.

Methods of forming, dissolving, and functionalizing an extracellular matrix gel on demand based on cross-linking, modification, and dissolution of hydrogels using transpeptidase (e.g. sortase) are disclosed. Also provided are hydrogels comprising one or more macromers crosslinked to a mixture of peptides, wherein all or a portion of the peptides in the mixture comprise a recognition motif cleavable by a transpeptidase (e.g., sortase).

The invention provides non-naturally occurring microbial organisms containing caprolactone pathways having at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding a butadiene pathway enzyme expressed in a sufficient amount to produce caprolactone. The invention additionally provides methods of using such microbial organisms to produce caprolactone by culturing a non-naturally occurring microbial organism containing caprolactone pathways as described herein under conditions and for a sufficient period of time to produce caprolactone.

The present invention provides a method for culturing vascular smooth muscle cells, which includes culturing vascular smooth muscle cells in suspension in a medium composition comprising a structure capable of culturing cells or tissues by suspending them. In addition, the present invention provides a method for suppressing proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells, which includes culturing vascular smooth muscle cells in suspension in the medium composition. Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for preserving vascular smooth muscle cells, which includes suspending vascular smooth muscle cells in the medium composition. The structure contains, for example, deacylated gellan gum.

Thin film devices, e.g., multilayer thin film devices, that encapsulate cells for transplantation into a subject are provided. Also provided are methods of using and methods of preparing the subject devices. The thin film devices include a first porous polymer layer and a second porous polymer layer that define a lumen therebetween and encapsulate a population of cells within the lumen. The thin film devices can promote vascularization into the lumen of the device via the pores in the first polymer layer and/or second polymer layer; limit foreign body response to the device; limit ingress of cells, immunoglobulins, and cytokines into the lumen via the first and the second polymer layers; and release from the first polymer layer and/or the second polymer layer molecules secreted by the population of cells.

The present invention discloses the active substances for preventing hearing deterioration, its preparation method, the pharmaceutical composition containing the active substances, and the preparation method of the pharmaceutical composition. The preparation method of the active substances is performed by plate cultivation, flask cultivation and fermentation tank cultivation, to obtain the active substances of Hericium erinaceus mycelia in powder form. The powder of H. erinaceus mycelia is proved to have the effect of preventing hearing deterioration.

A method for printing uses at least one bio-ink. The method also uses at least one laser print head to deposit at least one droplet of at least one bio-ink onto a depositing surface of a receiving substrate. The printing method uses at least one nozzle print head to deposit at least one droplet of at least one bio-ink onto a depositing surface of the same receiving substrate as the laser print head.

A 3D tissue culture selected from the group consisting of hydrogel-based 3D tissue culture and cellular self-assembly 3D tissue culture as well as self-assembly 3D tissue culture. Additionally, disclosed is a method of preparing cells for 3D tissue culture, which method comprises the steps of plating the cells on a suitable surface, optionally, checking for their capability to adhere to said surface, discarding the cells which have not adhered to said surface, detaching the adhered cells and transferring them into a 3D tissue culture process.