A method is provided which noninvasively monitors cells and which can accurately determine the progression of differentiation of the cells. This method, for evaluating the differentiation state of cells during culturing for inducing undifferentiated pluripotent stem cells to differentiate into desired cells, determines the progression of induced differentiation using any of the metabolites of glycolysis or any of the metabolites of the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle), the metabolites being selected from among two or more types of amino acids contained in the culture solution or components in the culture solution derived from metabolism of the cells.

A method of direct transdifferentiation of somatic cells into other somatic cells may be convenient and still have good reproducibility, excellent production efficiency, and short performed time. Methods for direct transdifferentiation of somatic cells into other somatic cells may include: (a) introducing a GLIS family gene, a mutated GLIS family gene or a gene product thereof into somatic cells; and (b) culturing the gene-introduced somatic cells in a culture medium containing a component that induces differentiation of the somatic cells or precursor cells of the somatic cells into other somatic cells.

The present application provides a pluripotent stem cell-derived neuronal culture system for use in modeling neurodegenerative diseases, drug screening and target discovery; and methods of generating homogenous, terminally differentiated neuronal culture from pluripotent stem cells, and compositions resulting thereof; as well as automated cell culture systems that sustain long-term differentiation, maturation and/or growth of neuronal cells for use in modeling neurodegenerative diseases.

The present disclosure concerns a cell or tissue culture system comprising a solid support for the culture of adherent cells or adherent tissues and a plurality of cationic dendrimers associated to the surface of the solid support. Each cationic dendrimer includes one or more functional amine group. The cationic dendrimer is protonated at physiological pH. The cell or tissue culture system can be used for the culture of adherent cells or tissues and be used for the differentiation of stem cells.

The present invention relates generally to the field of cell biology of stem cells, more specifically the directed differentiation of pluripotent or multipotent stem cells, including human embryonic stem cells (hESC), somatic stem cells, and induced human pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) using novel culture conditions. Specifically, methods are provided for obtaining neural tissue, floor plate cells, and placode including induction of neural plate development in hESCs for obtaining midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons, motor neurons, and sensory neurons. Further, neural plate tissue obtained using methods of the present inventions are contemplated for use in co-cultures with other tissues as inducers for shifting differentiation pathways, i.e. patterning.

Described herein are compositions and methods related to derivation of human notochordal cells differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The inventors have developed a two-step process for generating these iPSC-derived notochordal cells (iNCs), which can provide a renewable source of therapeutic material for use in degenerative disc disease (DDD). As iNCs are capable of reversing DDD and supporting regeneration of intervertebral disc (IVD) tissue based on the understanding that NC cells maintain homeostasis and repair of other IVD cell types such as nuclear pulposus (NP).

The method of culturing cells disclosed herein includes printing cells onto a substrate that includes cell adhesive regions and cell repulsive regions. The cells are suspended in a printing medium to create a cell suspension, and a volume of the cell suspension is loaded into a printer. A cell adhesive region of the substrate is aligned beneath the printing channel of the printer, and droplets of the cell suspension are dispensed from the printing channel directly onto the cell adhesive region. Contact of the dispensed droplets with cell repulsive regions of the substrate is limited, either by targeting of the droplets to the cell adhesive regions, by repulsions generated by the cell repulsive areas, or both. The cells adhere to the cell adhesive regions to create a cell pattern, and are maintained thereafter in a physiologically suitable environment.

The present specification provides a spontaneous-contracting cardiac organoid, a method for manufacturing the organoid, and a method for evaluating drug toxicity by using same, the cardiac organoid comprising: a chamber in which a fluid is stored; a first pipe connected to the chamber so that the fluid flows therethrough; a second pipe connected to the chamber so that the fluid is discharged therethrough; and a valve formed on the first pipe so as to spontaneously open/close an inflow pipe.

The present invention relates to 3D brain organoids, uses thereof, methods and culture medium for generating such organoids. An aspect of the invention provides brain organoids and methods of generating such organoids with bilaterally symmetric optic vesicles, containing both neuronal and non-neuronal cell types, and exhibiting functional circuitry. These organoids can be generated within short time intervals (e.g., 50 days) and therefore are useful for medical modelling and applications.

The present invention provides a nerve cell device in which early observation of nerve activity (spikes, bursts, and the like) is made possible and the measured electric strength is increased by cultivating neurons upon a cell scaffold. By using this nerve cell device, imaging of intracellular signaling is also possible.