A scaffolding material for cell culture, which has a dispersion component .sup.d of the surface free energy of 24.5 mJ/m.sup.2 or more and less than 45.0 mJ/m.sup.2, and a dipole component .sup.p of the surface free energy of 1.0 mJ/m.sup.2 or more and less than 20.0 mJ/m.sup.2. According to the scaffolding material for cell culture, the scaffolding material can have suitable hydrophilicity and strength, high fixation of cells after seeding, and highly efficient cell proliferation.

Provided is a membrane for cell culture and differentiation. The membrane has a base portion and an array of protrusions consisting of a plurality of protrusions. The protrusions are substantially evenly distributed on the base portion. The plurality of protrusions has dimensions on the order of micrometers. In particular, the membrane consists of particles of different particle sizes of two or more kinds. One kind of particles have an average particle size of 1 m to 50 m. Two or more kinds of particles of different particle sizes include nanoscale particles, 10-900 nm. One kind of particles are selected from the group consisting of inorganic compound microspheres. The other kind of particles of the two or more kinds of particles of different particle sizes are selected from the group consisting of organic polymer nanospheres. Also provided is a method for maintaining, culturing and/or differentiating cells using such membrane.

The invention relates to a method of culturing an epithelial cell on a solid surface.

The invention relates to the discovery of tissue mimicking constructs and compositions that can be used to study the growth and development of cells in vitro. In certain embodiments, the invention provides methods of culturing cells on the tissue mimicking polymer microspheres. In other embodiments, the invention provides methods of treating a disease or disorder using the compositions and constructs of the invention.

Provided herein are methods for activating an immune cell in a subject. In some embodiments, the methods comprise passing an immune cell from a subject through an immune modulating chamber comprising a tumor cell, thereby activating the immune cell, and returning the activated immune cell to the subject. In some embodiments, the methods further comprise isolating an immune cell-containing portion of a sample and passing the immune cell-containing portion through the immune modulating chamber. Methods of treating cancer and methods of inducing an immune response against a tumor are also provided herein.

Methods to form a surface coating and surface pattern, which are based on adsorption of hydrocarbon chains that can be used with imaging optics to visualize macrophage fusion and multinucleated giant cell formation with living specimens are described.

The present invention relates to a method for producing biodegradable fibers on the basis of a silane compound, said silane compound being crosslinked during production and, at least to some extent, an organic acid being incorporated into the forming crosslinked structure via covalent bonds and/or contributing to the crosslinking. The present invention also relates to the fibers that can be produced by the method according to the invention and to the use thereof.

Thermo-responsive microgel particles can be used to provide a thermally triggered liquid-like solid (LLS) support scaffold for immobilizing and growing three-dimensional cell cultures. Various applications and devices using such microgel particles, and methods of using such microgel particles, are also described.

Functionalized zwitterionic and mixed charge polymers and copolymers, methods for making the polymers and copolymers, hydrogels prepared from the functionalized zwitterionic and mixed charge polymers and copolymers, methods for making and using the hydrogels, and zwitterionic and mixed charge polymers and copolymers for administration for therapeutic agents.

The present invention relates to preparation and use of nanocellulose fibrils or crystals such as disintegrated bacterial nanocellulose, tunicate-derived nanocellulose, or plant-derived nanocellulose, together with carbon nanotubes, as a biocompatible and conductive ink for 3D printing of electrically conductive patterns. Biocompatible conductive bioinks described in this invention were printed in the form of connected lines onto wet or dried nanocellulose films, bacterial cellulose membrane, or tunicate decellularized tissue. The devices were biocompatible and showed excellent mechanical properties and good electrical conductivity through printed lines (3.8.Math.10.sup.1 S cm.sup.1). Such scaffolds were used to culture neural cells. Neural cells attached selectively on the printed pattern and formed connective networks. The devices prepared by this invention are suited as bioassays to screen drugs against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, study brain function, and/or be used to link the human brain with electronic and/or communication devices. They can also be implanted to replace neural tissue or stimulate guiding of neural cells. They can also be used to stimulate the heart by using electrical signaling or to repair myocardial infarction and/or damage related thereto.