This disclosure is directed to, inter alia, methods and systems for preparing oligopotent and unipotent progenitor cells of defined lineages in culture from an expanded source of CD34+ cells, media for making the same, and therapeutic compounds and compositions comprising the same for treatment a variety of diseases included, but not limited to, hematologic disorders, immune diseases, cancers, and infectious diseases.

The present invention relates to a method of culturing primitive macrophages from stem cells. Specifically, the method comprises contacting and incubating stem cells with a serum-free culture media comprising a GSK3 inhibitor to differentiate stem cells into cell of the mesoderm lineage, contacting and incubating cells of the mesoderm lineage with a culture media comprising DKK1 to differentiate the cells into the hematopoietic lineage, maturing the cells of the hematopoietic lineage and contacting and incubating these cells with a culture media comprising M-CSF to drive differentiation into primitive-like macrophages. The invention also relates to a primitive-like macrophage, use of the primitive-like macrophage and a kit when used in the method of the invention.

A method for screening for target cells, a corresponding test kit and a use thereof, a method for screening cells, and a biological culture chip and a preparation method therefor and a use thereof. The method for screening target cells comprises: culturing said candidate single cells within a culture chamber provided with a signal screening layer, the signal screening layer comprising signal molecules for specific recognition of target molecules; on the basis of signals of the signal molecules, selecting target cells suitable for secreting the target molecules. The method for screening cells comprises: arranging candidate cells in a culture chamber to form target antibody-antigen-signal antibody complexes; on the basis of signals of signal molecules connected to the signal antibodies, determining whether the candidate cells are target cells. The biological culture chip comprises a matrix (100), and a biological culture space arranged on the surface of the matrix (100) and used for culturing biological cells.

The present invention relates to an in vitro culture of haematopoietic cells, wherein said haematopoietic cells differentiate to form granulocytes characterised by the ability to kill cancer cells. The invention also relates to said granulocytes, methods for identifying said haematopoietic cells and granulocytes, compositions and kits comprising the same, as well as uses of the same for treating cancer.

Provided herein are methods of producing natural killer (NK) cells and/or ILC3 cells using a three-stage expansion and differentiation method with media comprising stem cell mobilizing factors. Also provided herein are methods of suppressing tumor cell proliferation using the NK cells and/or ILC3 cells and the NK cell and/or ILC3 cell populations produced by the three-stage methods described herein, as well as methods of treating individuals having cancer or a viral infection, comprising administering the NK cells and/or ILC3 cells and the NK cell and/or ILC3 cell populations produced by the three-stage methods described herein to an individual having the cancer or viral infection.

The disclosure encompasses the use of fibroblasts and products derived from fibroblasts for treatment of at least frontotemporal dementia. In particular embodiments, the disclosure teaches administration of cells intravenously, intrathecal or intracerebrally in order to reduce inflammation, enhance neurorgeneration and prevent neuronal dysfunction associated with progranulin abnormalities which characterize frontotemporal dementia. In particular embodiments, the disclosure teaches the utilization of exosomes, or apoptotic bodies derived from fibroblasts. In particular embodiments, the disclosure provides the use of genetically modified fibroblasts in order to augment therapy frontotemporal dementia.

Disclosed herein are methods for producing red blood cells (RBCs) from a population of stem cells and/or progenitor cells. In at least one of the stem cells or progenitor cells, SH2B3 protein activity is decreased, SH2B3 mRNA level is decreased, and/or SH2B3 protein level is decreased. The methods provided herein permit the production of RBCs with increased quantity and/or quality as compared to a method using the same population of stem cells and/or progenitor cells without SH2B3 inhibition or disruption. Also provided herein are methods of use of the RBCs produced using the methods described herein.

A method of expanding and maintaining human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) in an undifferentiated state by culturing the ESCs in a suspension culture under culturing conditions devoid of substrate adherence is provided. Also provided are a method of deriving ESC lines in the suspension culture and methods of generating lineage-specific cells from ESCs which were expanded in the suspension culture of the present invention.

The present invention relates to methods, kits and compositions for expansion of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and providing hematopoietic function to human patients in need thereof. In one aspect, it relates to kits and compositions comprising a Notch agonist and an aryl hydrocarbon receptor antagonist. Also provided herein are methods for expanding the hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells using kits and compositions comprising a Notch agonist and an aryl hydrocarbon receptor antagonist. The hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells expanded using the disclosed kits, compositions and methods include human umbilical cord blood stem/progenitor cells, placental cord blood stem/progenitor cells and peripheral blood stem cells. The present invention also relates to administering hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells expanded using a combination of a Notch agonist and an aryl hydrocarbon receptor antagonist to a patient for short-term and/or long-term in vivo repopulation benefits.

The present disclosure provides methods for generating megakaryocytes and novel platelet variants from the same CD34+ progenitor stem cells, which comprises at least two stages: stage zero (0) comprising an expansion and maintenance stage of the CD34+ progenitor stem cells for a period ranging between 0 hours to 48 hours; and, stage one (I) comprising a differentiation phase wherein the differentiation phase comprises differentiating the CD34+ progenitor stem cells in step (i) for a period sufficient to generate substantially matured megakaryocytes. Novel platelet variants are produced by passaging the megakaryocytes, produced by the CD34+ progenitor stem cells, through a bioreactor or a fluidic device. Formulations comprising megakaryocytes and platelet variants derived from CD34+ progenitor stem cells and methods of their use are also disclosed.