The invention relates to improved culture methods for expanding epithelial stem cells and obtaining organoids, to culture media involved in said methods, and to uses of said organoids.

The presently disclosed subject matter provides hydrogel precursor compositions (e.g., solutions) for forming three-dimensional hydrogels that support growth of physiologically relevant tissue when at least one cell is cultured in the three-dimensional hydrogel, kits comprising the hydrogel precursor composition, three-dimensional hydrogels, methods of forming the three-dimensional hydrogels, methods of growing the physiologically relevant tissue using the three-dimensional hydrogels, physiologically relevant tissue grown in the three-dimensional hydrogels, methods of producing hormone-responsive tissue (e.g., milk-producing mammary tissue and related methods of producing milk), methods of screening for candidate agents useful for modulating hormonal responses (e.g., modulating milk production), method of screening for candidate therapeutic agents using the physiologically relevant tissue grown in the three-dimensional hydrogels (e.g., personalized cancer treatments), and related methods of treatment (e.g., administering agents identified using the methods herein, transplanting physiologically relevant tissue produced using the methods, etc.).

This invention relates to live cell constructs for in vitro and/or ex vivo production of cultured milk products from mammary cells, methods of producing isolated cultured milk products from mammary cells, bioreactors for producing isolated cultured milk products, and cultured milk products.

Disclosed herein are milk compositions that comprise protein, lipid, and oligosaccharide components at concentrations that mimic and/or are substantially similar to human breast milk as produced by a lactating female. The milk compositions include one or more milk components produced in vitro and/or ex vivo from cultured mammary cells.

The invention relates to methods for generating multipotent mammary stern cells from isolated and cultured human breast luminal cells. The method comprises the steps: 1. isolating and growing normal differentiated cells in vitro; 2. treating the differentiated cells with either a conditioned medium from active fibroblasts or cytokine. The invention also relates to multipotent mammary stem cells, cultures of the multipotent stem cells, differentiated cells, tissues, organs derived from the culture multipotent stem cells isolated by the methods disclosed and therapeutic and other uses for those cells thereof.

A cell culture medium comprising adenosine triphosphate; a carrier protein; cholesterol, linoleic acid, and lipoic acid; glutathione; at least one nucleotide salvage pathway precursor base; phosphoethanolamine; selenium; transferrin; triiodothyronine; all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) and vitamin C; zinc, magnesium, and copper; an agent that increases intracellular cAMP; epidermal growth factor (EGF); hydrocortisone; insulin; and charcoal stripped fetal bovine serum, wherein said cell culture medium is substantially free, if not entirely free, of vitamin D, androgenic hormones, androgenic ligands, estrogenic hormones, estrogenic ligands, and/or androgenic receptors.

Methods of treating diseases selected from the group consisting of an autoimmune disease, a neurodegenerative disease, triple negative breast cancer, head and neck cancer and an infectious disease are disclosed. The method comprises administering agents that bind to CD45.

This invention provides for methods and compositions for generation of cytocapsulae and cytocapsular tubes in a 3D matrix.

Provided herein are cultured milk products for use as nutritional supplements. Also provided are live cell constructs for producing the cultured milk products and bioreactors for producing the cultured milk products. Secretory IgA compositions and methods of use are also provided.

A method for detecting oncogenic growth and viability, and/or degree of cellular transformation and/or identifying an agent that inhibits cellular transformation is disclosed. The method including: providing a cellular sample, such as a sample of cells obtained from a subject or a cell line; culturing the cellular sample in low attachment conditions; and detecting growth and7or cell viability of the sample, wherein increased growth relative and/or viability relative to a control or control level indicative of basal growth and/or viability indicates cellular transformation. In some embodiments, the method includes introducing a n expression vector into cells of the cellular sample, wherein the expression vector comprises a gene product expression sequence being tested for transformation ability. In some embodiments the cellular sample is contacted with a test agent and growth and/or cell viability of the sample is determined to determine if the agent inhibits transformation.