The present invention relates to the use of warmers, or autonomous heat packs, for heating and maintaining a solution on at a suitable temperature, for the period of time required to accomplish a chemical, biochemical or biological reaction, in particular in molecular biology or cell biology applications. Biology kits containing warmers are also part of this invention.

Hair follicle bulge region/LLP region CD34(+) MeSCs can be isolated from mammalian skin bearing hair follicles. These cells are multipotent and retain the ability to differentiate into cells of neural crest lineage, including glia-like cells that express the glial marker Gfap, and are able to express myelin basic protein, and to remyelinate naked (unmyelinated or demyelinated) neuronal processes with a functional, dense myelin sheath. These cells of neural crest lineage can be used to produce a dense myelin sheath on neurons which lack myelin due to genetic defect, trauma, toxin, infection, or disease process. Therefore, embodiments of the invention provide methods for preparing such cells, the cells themselves and compositions containing the cells, as well as methods for using the cells.

The present invention relates to the field of stem cell biology, in particular the linage specific differentiation of pluripotent or multipotent stem cells, which can include, but is not limited to, human embryonic stem cells (hESC), human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC), somatic stem cells, cancer stem cells, or any other cell capable of lineage specific differentiation. Specifically described are methods to direct the lineage specific differentiation of hESC and/or hiPSC to nociceptors (i.e. nociceptor cells) using novel culture conditions. The nociceptors made using the methods of the present invention are further contemplated for various uses including, but limited to, use in in vitro drug discovery assays, pain research, and as a therapeutic to reverse disease of, or damage to, the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Further, compositions and methods are provided for producing melanocytes from human pluripotent stem cells for use in disease modeling.

The present disclosure discloses a technical method for treating vitiligo through hair follicle melanocyte stem cell transplantation. The technical method comprises the following steps: extraction of hair follicles; separation of hair follicles; in-vitro culture of hair follicle melanocyte stem cells; inactivation of hair follicles; and transplantation of hair follicle melanocyte stem cells. According to the present disclosure, outer root sheaths of hair follicles containing the hair follicle melanocyte stem cells are obtained through a precise extraction and separation method. Through in-vitro separation and culture and inactivation of hair follicles, a situation that vitiligo only turns black without hairs after surgery is achieved. Through precise transplantation, the original color of the punctate multi-hair follicle orifice can be restored, thereby achieving the purpose of rapidly removing white patches.