Provided are compositions and methods comprising Jag-1 agonists for increasing proliferation of cochlear supporting cells or vestibular supporting cells, and related methods of treating hearing or balance disorders.

The present invention is directed to a method of producing compositions including embryonic proteins. The method includes culturing cells under hypoxic conditions on a biocompatible surface in vitro. The culturing method produces both soluble and non-soluble fractions, which may be used separately or in combination to obtain physiologically acceptable compositions useful in a variety of medical and therapeutic applications.

This invention provides methods of treating androgenetic alopecia (AGA), acne, rosacea, prostate cancer, and benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), comprising the step of contacting a subject with a compound or composition capable of decreasing prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) level or activity, a downstream signaling or receptor pathway thereof, or prostaglandin D2 synthase level or activity; methods of stimulating hair growth, comprising the step of contacting a subject with a compound or composition capable of increasing or decreasing the activity or level of a target gene of the present invention, or with a protein product of the target gene or an analogue or mimetic thereof; and methods of testing for AGA and evaluating therapeutic methods thereof, comprising measuring PGD2 levels.

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for producing differentiated otic cells. In particular, the invention relates to methods and compositions for the production of inner ear cells from pluripotent stem cells. The present invention also relates to methods of treating sensorineural hearing loss.

Briefly stated, the present invention provides compositions and methods for treating or preventing joint injuries utilizing hair follicle derived Non-Bulbar Dermal Sheath (NDBS) cells. Within one aspect of the invention methods are provided for isolating NBDS cells, comprising the steps of: (a) preparing vital hair; (b) cleaving the hair prepared in step (a) to remove the hair follicle bulb; (c) isolating Non-Bulbar Dermal Sheath tissue; and (d) cultivating the isolated Non-Bulbar Dermal sheath tissue to produce NBDS cells. Within one embodiment of the invention the vital hair is obtained by full skin biopsy from the occipital scalp of a subject.

Disclosed are compositions comprising cellular constructs comprising mesenchymal cells and epithelial cells. Also disclosed are methods of making the cellular constructs, methods of hair restoration, and kits. The invention also discloses parallel bio-printing systems and methods for making cellular constructs, such as cellular constructs comprising mesenchymal cells and epithelial cells.

Cosmetic methods providing a significant improvement over existing hair transplantation methods by providing greater hair density per hair implant, which is achieved through the process of an enhanced hair multiplication in vivo (e.g. in the scalp of a subject). The cosmetic methods also provide improved aesthetic results, particularly, more realistic and natural looking results, relative to the results obtained by traditional methods. The cosmetic methods are particularly suitable for hair transplantation in recipient areas of a subject experiencing baldness or lack of hair, optionally due to Androgenic alopecia, burn injuries, cancer chemotherapy, or other genetic or environmental factors or scarring.

Method and compositions for inducing the self-renewal of stem/progenitor supporting cells comprised by a cochlear cell population, including inducing the stem/progenitor cells to proliferate while maintaining, in the daughter cells, the capacity to differentiate into hair cells.

Methods for generating cells of the inner ear, e.g., hair cells and supporting cells, from stem cells, e.g., mesenchymal stem cells, are provided, as well as compositions including the inner ear cells. Methods for the therapeutic use of the inner ear cells for the treatment of hearing loss are also described.

The present invention provides a method of producing a cell mass capable of serving as a primitive organ-like structure comprised of a plurality of somatic cell types of somatic origin, comprising: preparing cultures containing the plurality of types of somatic cells; mixing the plurality of types of somatic cell cultures followed by adding a Wnt signal activator to the mixed cell culture; subjecting the culture containing the Wnt signal activator to non-plate contact culturing over a predetermined time period; and replacing the medium of the culture cultured by the non-plate contact culturing with medium not containing Wnt signal activator and further culturing for a predetermined time period; wherein, at least one type of the plurality of somatic cells is maintained in an undifferentiated state.