An organ-on-a-chip microfluidic device is disclosed that mimics a human lymph node and/or human lymphoid tissue. The device can include cells from human blood and lymphatic tissue, include an extracellular matrix for the development of immune system components, and provide for the perfusion of fluids and solids resembling blood and lymphatic fluid within micrometer sized channels.

Sub-millimeter scale three-dimensional (3D) structures are disclosed with customizable chemical properties and/or functionality. The 3D structures are referred to as drop-carrier particles. The drop-carrier particles allow the selective association of one solution (i.e., a dispersed phased) with an interior portion of each of the drop-carrier particles, while a second non-miscible solution (i.e., a continuous phase) associates with an exterior portion of each of the drop-carrier particles due to the specific chemical and/or physical properties of the interior and exterior regions of the drop-carrier particles. The combined drop-carrier particle with the dispersed phase contained therein is referred to as a particle-drop. The selective association results in compartmentalization of the dispersed phase solution into sub-microliter-sized volumes contained in the drop-carrier particles. The compartmentalized volumes can be used for single-molecule assays as well as single-cell, and other single-entity assays.

The present invention is directed to the use of microfluidics in the preparation of cells and compositions for therapeutic uses.

Provided herein are nanoparticles encapsulating a required substance for enriching immune cells with the required substance, compositions comprising the same and methods for their preparation. Further provided are methods of using the nanoparticles for enriching the immune cells with the required substance as well as methods of treating cancer using the nanoparticles or compositions comprising the same.

The invention discloses a method of manufacturing polysaccharide beads, comprising the steps of: i) providing a water phase comprising an aqueous solution of a polysaccharide; ii) providing an oil phase comprising at least one water-immiscible organic solvent and at least one oil-soluble emulsifier; iii) emulsifying the water phase in the oil phase to form a water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion; and iv) inducing solidification of the water phase in the w/o emulsion, wherein the organic solvent is an aliphatic or alicyclic ketone or ether.

The present invention provides an efficient process for culturing viruses in the presence of an endonuclease and for producing vaccines, typically from live attenuated viruses, under conditions to reduce the presence of host cell DNA and eliminate the need for a post-harvest DNA digestion step.

A method of culturing adherent cells in suspension is provided that includes culturing adherent cells on a first substrate in a first suspension, harvesting the adherent cells from the first substrate, and transfecting the harvested adherent cells using electro-poration. The method also includes, after the step of transfecting, suspending the transfected adherent cells in a second suspension. A dissolution process for dissolving the second microcarrier particle to harvest the cells or cell products is also provided. This dissolution process includes adding a chelator, such as EDTA, to the second suspension for a predetermined time to separate the cells from the second microcarrier; and isolating the cells or cell products from a remainder of the second suspension after the predetermined time. The dissolution process is performed without enzymes such as pectinase or protease.

A cell culture auxiliary agent and a cell culture medium using the same are provided. The cell culture auxiliary agent is formed by attaching each coordination peptide having cell affinity to two side ends of a polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene ether block copolymer through anhydride monomers.

Cell microsheets are formed from a culture of cells. The cell microsheets has a size that can pass through an injection needle with a certain thickness. The cell microsheets can be produced on a surface of a cell cultureware. A stimulus-responsive polymer is immobilized on the surface having small divisions of the cell cultureware. The cell microsheets are suitable for minimally invasive treatment.

The present invention is directed to the use of microfluidics in the preparation of cells and compositions for therapeutic uses.