A simple, highly flexible and scalable platform for making functional complex tissues with heterogeneity and irregularity is provided. The method includes combining undifferentiated cells, such as pluripotent or multipotent stem cells, with a biomaterial to make multiple undifferentiated or naïve subunits, exposing the undifferentiated or naïve subunits to different cell culture environments for induction of differentiation towards different lineages as required by that complex tissue, and combining the then functional subunits with or without the undifferentiated subunits. The differentiated subunits thus combined can be cultured under biological, chemical, and/or physical culture conditions suitable to fine-tune the structural and functional properties of the bioengineered complex tissue to form a bioengineered tissue graft that mimics the structural and functional characteristics of native complex tissue. The bioengineered tissue graft can then used to replace dysfunctional tissue.

The invention relates to purified, tissue-specific progenitors, methods of making and using such tissue-specific progenitors.

The current invention concerns a composition for treating trauma in a subject, where the composition includes isolated mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), wherein the MSCs are tenogenic-induced and/or chondrogenic-induced, and where the trauma is tendon trauma, traumas of the ligaments, or trauma of cartilage.

The disclosure provides means of treating autoimmunity through reprogramming of antigen presenting cells in an individual in need of treatment through administration of fibroblasts and/or derivatives of fibroblasts. In one embodiment, fibroblasts are administered in an allogeneic manner subsequent to modification which endows fibroblast ability to alter antigen presenting cells in a manner which supports the generation of immunological tolerance as opposed to immunological rejection. In one embodiment, fibroblasts are utilized to decrease costimulatory molecule expression on antigen presenting cells, in order to allow for production of antigen-specific immunological tolerance promoting cells.

Methods for culturing cells, compositions comprising the cell culture product, and applications for the compositions are described. Methods include culturing cells with a media that includes a catalyst compound, which can include a stilbene or a nicotinamide compound, so as to control the secretome of the cells. Compositions that include the cell culture product include the cell secretome or components thereof in conjunction with at least one catalyst compound. Products can be utilized as a cell culture media or can be utilized in therapeutic applications.

The present disclosure concerns a microglia progenitor cell derived from bone marrow and/or placental stromal cells and/or umbilical cord stromal cell and methods for their isolation; as well as use of said cells for therapy of disorders of the CNS.

Provided are new methods for generating extracellular matrix material, compositions comprising the extracellular matrix material, and methods of using the extracellular matrix.

An induction method for a macrophage is provided, in which macrophages are cultured in the presence of exosomes produced from a mesenchymal stem cell to which interferon gamma has been added and are induced into anti-inflammatory macrophages. An anti-inflammatory macrophage-inducing agent includes exosomes produced from a mesenchymal stem cell to which interferon gamma has been added, as an active component. A pharmaceutical composition contains the inducing agent.

The present invention relates to methods of obtaining a mixed population of human XCR1+ and plasmacytoid dendritic cells from hematopoietic stem cells. Human DC subsets are rare in blood and other tissues, difficult and expensive to isolate, and fragile. Hence, to advance on deciphering their functions and their molecular regulation, there is a strong need for relevant in vitro models. The inventors developed a new protocol allowing simultaneous generation of the various human DC subsets in vitro from hematopoietic progenitors. In particular, the present invention relates to a method of obtaining a mixed population of human XCR1.sup.+ and plasmacytoid dendritic cells said method comprising the steps of i) culturing a population of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) or committed hematopoietic precursor cells in the presence of a Notch ligand, and thereafter, ii) isolating human XCR1.sup.+ and plasmacytoid dendritic cells from the culture.

This disclosure relates to growth media and environments for in vitro culturing of cells that produce or are capable of producing antibodies. In certain embodiments, the media comprises IL-6, fibronectin, and typically a saccharide. In certain embodiments, the disclosure contemplates cell culture compositions comprising IL-6 and fibronectin that are derived from proteins secreted from mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs). In certain embodiments, the disclosure contemplates enclosures comprising culture compositions disclosed herein that are in ambient air or optionally in an environment wherein oxygen is absent or at a low concentration.