The invention provides methods of preparing a sample of viable diseased cells obtained from a human subject for clinical testing, wherein the methods inhibit anoikis and/or anoikis in the cells while maintaining the physiological functions and genomic composition of the cells when they were in vivo. In the methods of the invention, primary cells are cultured in media comprising at least one anoikis inhibitor, preferably at least one inhibitor of an intrinsic anoikis pathway and at least one inhibitor of an extrinsic anoikis pathway, under anti-anoikis atmospheric conditions, such as greater than 2% and less than 20% oxygen. Method combining multiple culturing conditions, including surface attachment under conditions that inhibit anoikis, are also provided. Compositions and kits for use in the methods of the invention are also provided.

The present invention relates to microfluidic fluidic systems and methods for the in vitro modeling diseases of the lung and small airway. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a system for testing responses of a microfluidic Small Airway-on-Chip infected with one or more infectious agents (e.g. respiratory viruses) as a model of respiratory disease exacerbation (e.g. asthma exacerbation). In one embodiment, this disease model on a microfluidic chip allows for a) the testing of anti-inflammatory and/or anti-viral compounds introduced into the system, as well as b) the monitoring of the participation, recruitment and/or movement of immune cells, including the transmigration of cells. In particular, this system provides, in one embodiment, an in-vitro platform for modeling severe asthma as “Severe Asthma-on-Chip.” In some embodiments, this invention provides a model of viral-induced asthma in humans for use in identifying potentially effective treatments.

A method for separating and enriching sperm from a tissue sample comprises: obtaining a microfluidic separating system having an inlet end and an outlet end, and a membrane filter (e.g., hollow fiber membrane filter) fluidly connected to the outlet end; separating the tissue sample via the microfluidic separating system into a debris fluid volume and a sperm fluid volume; and enriching the sperm fluid volume by removing excess media via the membrane filter. A two-stage tissue sample separation system comprising: a microchannel structure defining a separation fluid channel to form a separation stage; an inlet end of the microchannel structure; an outlet end of the microchannel structure; and a membrane filter fluidly connected to the outlet end for removal of at least a portion of excess media in the tissue sample.

The invention provides methods of preparing a sample of viable diseased cells obtained from a human subject for clinical testing, wherein the methods inhibit anoikis and/or anoikis in the cells while maintaining the physiological functions and genomic composition of the cells when they were in vivo. In the methods of the invention, primary cells are cultured in media comprising at least one anoikis inhibitor, preferably at least one inhibitor of an intrinsic anoikis pathway and at least one inhibitor of an extrinsic anoikis pathway, under anti-anoikis atmospheric conditions, such as greater than 2% and less than 20% oxygen. Method combining multiple culturing conditions, including surface attachment under conditions that inhibit anoikis, are also provided. Compositions and kits for use in the methods of the invention are also provided.

Disclosed are methods for making a vascularized hollow organ derived from human intestinal organoid (HIOs). The HIOs may be obtained from human embryonic stem cells (ESC's) and/or induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), such that the HIO forms mature intestinal tissue. Also disclosed are methods for making a human intestinal tissue containing a functional enteric nervous system (ENS).

Methods of determining the suitability of a subject for treatment with a therapeutic agent are provided. Methods of providing a personalized treatment protocol based on suitability of a subject to be treated with a therapeutic agent are also provided, as are methods of treating those subjects who are suitable.

[Problem] An object of the present invention is to produce cancer cell clusters with intrinsic biological properties as cancer tissues, such as morphological polarity and tissue motion polarity, in vitro. [Solution] The present invention relates to a cell culture substrate including a base material and a biocompatible polymer layer, the substrate including a plurality of rough sections on the surface of the substrate, wherein the rough sections are not covered with the biocompatible polymer layer, have a predetermined surface structure with a predetermined shape, and are disposed at predetermined intervals. With the present invention, it is possible to obtain a live cancer cell aggregate having morphological polarity and tissue motion polarity similar to that observed in vivo, by a very easy operation of culturing cancer cells on a cell culture substrate having a predetermined structure, thereby performing live imaging of microtumors in vitro is enabled, which has been conventionally impossible. Moreover, since such a cancer cell aggregate is considered to reproduce a series of flow of development, proliferation, infiltration, metastasis, and recurrence of cancer in vivo, the cancer cell aggregate can be utilized as a research tool in cancer research, or for screening for an anticancer drug.

Cells in a given population often display heterogeneity that may affect how each cell responds to a particular treatment or growth condition. The methods described herein allow determination of which cells from an initial population survive a treatment or condition, and how surviving cells evolve over time. For example, the methods described herein may be used to model drug resistance, response and/or adaptation in a cell population.

The present disclosure relates to an engineered immune cell and use thereof. The present disclosure provides an engineered immune cell comprising a CAR or engineered TCR, which CAR or engineered TCR can comprise a first antigen binding domain and a second antigen binding domain. The engineered immune cells of the present disclosure, when administered into a subject, can inhibit the host immune cells such as T cells and/or NK cells and enhance the survival and persistence of the engineered immune cells in vivo, thereby exhibiting more effective tumor killing activity.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing commercial scale quantities of canine functional beta cells and to the establishment of cell lines from immature canine pancreatic tissues. It also relates to a method of diagnosis using canine beta cell tumours or cells derived thereof. The method comprises sub-transplantation procedure to enrich the graft in proliferating beta cells, allowing generating canine Beta cell lines. Such lines express, produce and secrete insulin upon glucose stimulation.