Provided is a method of inducing oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) through direct reprogramming from human somatic cells into which a nucleic acid molecule encoding an Oct4 protein or Oct4 protein-treated human somatic cells. The method of inducing OPCs by treating Oct4-overexpressing human somatic cells with a low molecular weight substance may establish OPCs with high efficiency in a short period of time through direct reprogramming without via neural stem cells, and thus the OPCs are useful as a cell therapeutic agent for an intractable demyelinating disease.

Parasympathetic neurons (parasymN) are important for unconscious body responses, including rest-and-digest and calming the body. Disclosed herein is a chemically defined differentiation protocol that generates parasympathetic neurons from stem cells. The protocol yields high efficiency and purity cultures that are electrically active and respond to specific stimuli. Their molecular characteristics and maturation stage are described and evidence for their use as a model for studying parasymN function and dysfunction. Cell populations and compositions formed from the resulting cells, as well as methods of their use for disease treatment, drug screening, and modeling of human disorders affecting parasymN are also provided.

The present disclosure provides a method for treating an inflammatory neurological disease comprising administering a population of cells enriched for STRO-1.sup.+ cells and/or progeny thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom.

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.

Compositions for generating a pancreatic beta-like cell population from a population of undifferentiated cells and methods of use thereof, are provided. The method is an 8 stage process interrupted by a priming step, and it includes; using a chemically defined protocol for the efficient generation of pancreatic progenitors (PPs); improved assembly PPs into 3D clusters; a priming step which uses a chemical/factor cocktail (PP-10C) to maintain 3D-PPs status and enhances their potential to differentiate into ? cells ;and a 3-step differentiation protocol using select chemical cocktails that efficiently converts PP-10C-treated 3D-PPs into functional ? cells.

The disclosed methods result in a population of functional ? cells which expresses pancreatic cell markers selected from the group of c-peptide, the transcription factors NKX6.1, PDX1, PAX6, NEUROD1 and are INS+, and which do not express substantial levels Glucagon (GCG).

The functional ? cells can be used to treat conditions such as diabetes.

Methods, compositions and cells are provided that identify and isolate a population of adult non-embryonic progenitor cells having multilineage potential, physical diameters of about 2 m to about 8 m in size or about 4 m to about 6 m, and expressing at least one of the stem cell associated genes among Oct-4, KLF-4, Nanog, Sox-2, Rex-1, GDF-3 or Stella. Methods are also provided that identify and isolate populations, which are subsets or subpopulations of progenitor adult stem cells within the population of the adult stem cells which is a heterogeneous population, the methods including contacting the adult stem cells with a ligand specific for at least one of: CD99, tetraspan, ICAM4, full-length MUC1, and truncated MUC1 receptor, in which a presence of a surface protein on the cells that bind to the ligand identifies the population which is the subset of the differentiated progenitor adult stem cells.

Described herein is a method of treating a disorder, the method comprising: administering to a subject in need thereof a composition that contains a population of somatic stem cells that are 0.3-6.0 micrometers in size and CD9+, CD349+, CD133, CD90, CD34, SSEA1+, SSEA4+, CD13+, or Stro1+, wherein the disorder is hair loss, osteoporosis, or a damaged tissue.

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

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.

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.