Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to the production of therapeutic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). More particularly, the present disclosure relates to the use of cell culture compositions and methods for generating MSCs that secrete neurotrophic factors and synaptic organizing agents for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). As such, the present disclosure addresses the need for establishing a reliable source of therapeutic stem cells useful for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

A method for vascular regeneration comprises delivering endothelial cells to a lung scaffold, delivering perivascular cells to the lung scaffold, and providing a multiphase culture program to the scaffold. The multiphase culture program comprises a first phase including delivering an angiogenic medium, e.g., having 40-100 ng/ml of pro-angiogenic factors, and a second phase including delivering a stabilization medium, e.g., having 0.5-2% of serum and 1-20 ng/ml of angiogenic factors.

Described herein are a system, device, methods and compositions related to generating 3-dimensional cardiac tissues. Also described herein are a system, device, and methods of maturing 3-dimensional cardiac tissues and maintaining their viability in culture.

A method for vascular regeneration comprises delivering endothelial cells to a lung scaffold, delivering perivascular cells to the lung scaffold, and providing a multiphase culture program to the scaffold. The multiphase culture program comprises a first phase including delivering an angiogenic medium, e.g., having 40-100 ng/ml of pro-angiogenic factors, and a second phase including delivering a stabilization medium, e.g., having 0.5-2% of serum and 1-20 ng/ml of angiogenic factors.

Embodiments of the disclosure concern methods and compositions related to treatment of diabetes and/or related conditions using cell therapy. In specific embodiments, cells that lacked the ability to produce insulin are exposed to one or more particular agents that render the cells to have the ability to produce insulin, and these cells are provided to an individual in need thereof. In a specific embodiment, the agent(s) are Wnt5a, FGF7, WNT3a, HGF, THBS2, IGF1, PDPN, LIF, endocan, SERPINF1, EGF, or a combination thereof.

Described herein are a system, device, methods and compositions related to generating 3-dimensional cardiac tissues. Also described herein are a system, device, and methods of maturing 3-dimensional cardiac tissues and maintaining their viability in culture.

A method of generating a population of cells useful for treating a nerve disease or disorder in a subject, the method comprising up-regulating a level of at least one exogenous miRNA in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and/or down-regulating a level of at least one miRNA using a polynucleotide agent that hybridizes to the miRNA, thereby generating the population of cells useful for treating the nerve disease or disorder. Isolated populations of cells with an astrocytic phenotype generated thereby and uses thereof are also provided.

A serum-free culture medium for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) expansion is provided. The serum-free culture medium includes a serum-free base medium, cytokines, an umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell conditioned medium and supplemental components. The cytokines comprise stem cell factor, thrombopoietin and hematopoietic growth factor Flt3 ligand. The umbilical cord mesenchymal stern cell conditioned medium is derived from culturing human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells. The supplemental components comprise vitamin C, vitamin E or a combination of vitamin C and vitamin E.

A method for vascular regeneration comprises delivering endothelial cells to a lung scaffold, delivering perivascular cells to the lung scaffold, and providing a multiphase culture program to the scaffold. The multiphase culture program comprises a first phase including delivering an angiogenic medium, e.g., having 40-100 ng/ml of pro-angiogenic factors, and a second phase including delivering a stabilization medium, e.g., having 0.5-2% of serum and 1-20 ng/ml of angiogenic factors.

Human progenitor T cells that are able to successfully engraft a murine thymus and differentiate into mature human T and NK cells are described. The human progenitor T cells have the phenotype CD34+CD7+CD 1aCD5 or CD34+CD7+CD1aCD5+ and are derived from human hematopoietic stem cells, embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells by coculture with cells expressing a Notch receptor ligand (OP9-DL1 or OP9-DL4). Such cells are useful in a variety of applications including immune reconstitution, the treatment of immunodeficiencies and as carriers for genes used in gene therapy.