Disclosed are a nanobarcode for controlling adhesion and differentiation of stem cells and a method of controlling adhesion and differentiation of stem cells by using nanobarcodes. The method of controlling adhesion and differentiation of stem cells of the present invention may efficiently control adhesion and differentiation of stem cells in vivo or in vitro by tuning periodicity and sequences of a ligand peptide (RGD) of a nanobarcode.

A nanosized complex includes siRNA and a compound comprising formula (I):

##STR00001##

The disclosure provides methods of preventing, ameliorating or treating disruption of mitochondrial function and symptoms thereof. The methods provide administering aromatic-cationic peptides in effective amounts to prevent, treat or ameliorate the disruption of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in a cell such as that found in a subject suffering from, or predisposed to a mitochondrial disease or disorder. In some embodiments, the methods comprise administering to a subject suffering from, or at risk for a mitochondrial disease or disorder, an effective amount of an aromatic-cationic peptide to subjects in need thereof.

Disclosed are various crystalline salt forms of D-Arg-Dmt-Lys-Phe-NH.sub.2.

Methods for the synthesis of arginine-containing peptides are provided. The methods include a deprotection step that minimizes the transfer of by-products deriving from cleaved sulfonyl-5 based side chain protecting groups from arginine to amino acids carrying electron rich side chains.

Disclosed are non-natural peptides useful for the treatment and prevention of ischemia-reperfusion injury (e.g., cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury) or myocardial infarction.

The disclosure generally describes methods of preventing or treating ophthalmic diseases or conditions in a mammalian subject, such as diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, macular degeneration, choroidal neovascularization, retinal degeneration, and oxygen-induced retinopathy. The methods comprise administering an effective amount of an aromatic-cationic peptide to subjects in need thereof.

The present disclosure, at least in part, provides methods for regulating Blood-Central Nervous System (blood-CNS) barrier permeability (e.g., increasing or decreasing Blood-CNS barrier permeability) by regulating signaling between pericyte derived vitronectin and integrin expressed on CNS endothelial cells (e.g., integrin α5). In some aspects, the present disclosure also provides a Blood-Central Nervous System (blood-CNS) barrier model comprising CNS endothelial cells and vitronectin or a plurality of cells secreting vitronectin, and methods for producing the same.

The disclosure generally describes methods of preventing or treating ophthalmic diseases or conditions in a mammalian subject, such as diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, macular degeneration, choroidal neovascularization, retinal degeneration, and oxygen-induced retinopathy. The methods comprise administering an effective amount of an aromatic-cationic peptide to subjects in need thereof.

The disclosure provides methods of preventing, treating, or ameliorating LV remodeling in a mammalian subject. The methods comprise administering to the subject a therapeutic amount of an aromatic-cationic peptide such as D-Arg-2,6-Dmt-Lys-Phe-NH2.