The subject invention pertains to methods and devices for generating mature oocytes from immature oocytes and improving oocyte quality for improved success of assistant reproductive technology (ART). The methods include the use of tunneling nanotube-forming cells and oocytes, wherein the tunneling nanotube-forming cells transfer autologous genomic materials, biomolecules and cellular components to the oocytes. The devices of the invention include microfluidic device to improve the efficiency of the transfer of biomolecules and cellular components between tunneling nanotube-forming cells and oocytes.

A spherical 3D tumor spheroid according to an aspect has an appropriate diameter, roundness and specificity so as to be suitably used in vitro, and expresses an ECM structure similar to that of in vivo tumor, and thus may be used in evaluating the efficacy of drug for treating various types of tumors.

The invention provides anti-inflammatory exosomes that, when administered locally or systemically, downregulate an inflammatory process in a subject in need of such treatment, as well as methods of making and using the anti-inflammatory exosomes.

The present invention is directed to compositions for treating oxidative-stress related-damage of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells by contacting orbital fat-derived mesenchymal cell with the damaged RPE cells.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing insulin-producing cells having sufficient glucose responsiveness from mesenchymal stem cells, an insulin-producing cell having sufficient glucose responsiveness, a cell structure containing the insulin-producing cell, and a pharmaceutical composition. According to the present invention, there is provided a method for producing an insulin-producing cell from a mesenchymal stem cell, including (a) a step of producing a cell structure by incubating a plurality of biocompatible macromolecular blocks and a plurality of mesenchymal stem cells, and (b) a step of culturing one or more of the mesenchymal stem cells before the incubation in the step (a), the mesenchymal stem cell in the incubation in the step (a), or the cell structure produced in the step (a) in a medium containing the GLP-1 receptor agonist, and (c) a step of culturing the cell structure obtained in the step (a) or the step (b) in a medium containing the water-soluble vitamin and the hepatocyte growth factor.

The present disclosure relates to a composition for various applications, which is capable of effectively preventing, ameliorating or treating lupus using a secretome derived from mesenchymal stem cells.

The secretome derived from mesenchymal stem cells according to the present disclosure may significantly decrease mortality and the amount of proteinuria, and may increase body weight, decrease the expression of serum creatinine, and inhibit glomerular, coronary and vascular damage in kidney tissue. Furthermore, the secretome may reduce the size of an enlarged spleen and reduce the number of splenocytes and CD4-positive T cells. In addition, the secretome may increase the expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and TGF-1 in serum, and decrease the expression of anti-dsDNA antibody. In the mechanism thereof, the secretome may effectively prevent, ameliorate or treat lupus nephritis and, furthermore, lupus, by increasing the activity of Treg cells and inhibiting the activity of the inflammatory cells Th1 and Th2 cells, B cells, dendritic cells and inflammatory macrophages.

This disclosure provides a method for programming human somatic cells into hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). The method includes inducing expression of the 3GF reprogramming transcription factor cocktail, including GATA2, GFI1B, GFI1, and FOS transcription factors, in human somatic cells. Further, this disclosure also demonstrates co-culturing HSCs with AFT024 stroma cells results in more functional cells, both qualitatively and quantitatively.

The current invention concerns a cell medium for in vitro inducing chondrogenesis or tenogenesis in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The medium includes a glucose medium supplemented with at least one growth factor. The growth factor is selected from fibroblast growth factors (FGF) or transforming growth factors (TGF). FGF or TGF is present in a total concentration of between 1 and 15 ng/ml. In both cases, IGF can be added to enhance the induction process. In a further aspect, the invention provides for a use of such cell medium as well as a method for inducing isolated mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and a cell composition obtained by such method.

The present invention relates to a method of treating a subject having drug-resistant cancer, comprising administering a composition comprising exosomes derived from differentiating stem cells as an active ingredient. The exosomes isolated differentiating stem cells according to the present invention have an excellent expression rate of bioactive factors affecting differentiation and have an effect of facilitating reprogramming of cancer stem cells and differentiating them into cancer cells with weakened drug resistance.

Stem cell conditioned media and methods of producing the same to treat mammalian injuries or insults. In at least one embodiment of a method of producing a stem cell conditioned media of the present disclosure, the method comprises the steps of culturing at least one stem cell in a first cell culture medium, replacing some or all of the first cell culture medium with a second cell culture medium and further culturing the at least one stem cell in the second cell culture medium, and collecting a quantity of the second cell culture medium after a culture duration, wherein the quantity of the second cell culture medium contains a cell culture byproduct effective to treat a mammalian insult or injury. A stem cell culture supernatant containing at least one factor capable of exerting effective neuroprotection to treat a mammalian neural injury or insult.