The present invention includes methods for effecting phenotype conversion in a cell by transfecting the cell with phenotype-converting nucleic acid. Expression of the nucleic acids results in a phenotype conversion in the transfected cell. Preferably the phenotype-converting nucleic acid is a transcriptome, and more preferably an mRNA transcriptome.

The present disclosure provides multicellular culture models for the study of neuroinflammation, such as to identify novel targets, biomarkers, and therapeutic agents for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Further provided herein are assays for studying neuroinflammation using the present cell culture models.

Compositions and provided to induce cells of the inner ear to renter the cell cycle and to proliferate. In particular, hair cells are induced to proliferate by administration of a composition which activates the Myc and Notch. Supporting cells are induced to transdifferentiate to hair cells by inhibition of Myc and Notch activity or the activation of Atoh1. Methods of treatment include the intracellular delivery of these molecules to a specific therapeutic target.

This document provides methods and materials involved obtaining induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. For example, methods and materials for increasing the efficiency for making iPS cells as well as methods and materials for selecting iPS cells are provided.

Described in the present application are methods for preparing populations of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), e.g., autologous and/or allogenic HSCs, using mechanical stretching or Trpv4 agonisists, and methods of use of the HSCs in transplantation. In some embodiments, the methods include providing a population comprising hemogenic endothelial (HE) cells, and (i) contacting the HE cells with an amount of an agonist of transient receptor potential cation channel-subfamily vanilloid member 4 (Trpv4); and/or (ii) subjecting the cells to cyclic 2-dimensional stretching, for a time and under conditions sufficient to stimulating endothelial-to-HSC transition. Also provided herein are methods for treating subjects who have, bone marrow, metabolic, and immune diseases; the methods include administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) obtained by a method described herein.

A culture medium is disclosed which comprises STAT3 activator, an ERK1/2 inhibitor and an Axin stabilizer, and optionally also a PKC inhibitor. Cell cultures comprising same and uses thereof are also disclosed.

The invention relates to compositions and formulations comprising isolated acidic fraction of mastic gum and uses thereof for treating impaired neurological functions as well as wound and tissue repair.

The present invention provides recombinant adenoviral compositions and methods for their use in treating disorders associated with epithelial tissues.

New cell lines designated as Hepa-SC and Hepa-RP, originating from human hepatoma line HEPARG® are disclosed. Methods of inducing stemness in parental cells lines using mechano-transduction techniques, and redirecting stem-like cells to reprogrammed cells of a target differentiated population are also described.

Disclosed is a method for effectively preparing mesenchymal-like stem cells, the method including: preparing human pluripotent stem cells cultured to passage 70 or lower after establishment of cell lines; inducing differentiation of the human pluripotent stem cells to produce embryoid bodies and selecting cystic embryoid bodies therefrom; loading the cystic embryoid bodies on a cell-permeable three-dimensional (3D) culture unit to isolate mesenchymal-like stem cells therefrom; isolating only monolayer-shaped cell clusters from the mesenchymal-like stem cells passing through the cell-permeable 3D culture unit; and uniformizing sizes of the monolayer-shaped cell clusters, in which the mesenchymal-like stem cells have anti-inflammatory efficacy and immunosuppression. Further, disclosed are mesenchymal-like stem cells prepared by the preparation method, a transporter or a therapeutic composition including the mesenchymal-like stem cells, and a composition for prevention or treatment of diseases that includes an active ingredient or exosomes secreted from the mesenchymal-like stem cells.