The present disclosure provides expression constructs designed to provide for expression of therapeutic proteins from engineered cells. The engineered cells may be encapsulated into implantable elements that allow for the therapeutic protein to be released into from the capsule while protecting the cell from the immune system of a patient into which the capsule is implanted.

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 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 disclosure is directed to a method of treating a neuropsychiatric disorder. This method involves selecting a subject having the neuropsychiatric disorder and administering to the selected subject a preparation of glial progenitor cells at a dosage effective to treat the neuropsychiatric disorder in the subject. Another aspect of the disclosure is directed to a method of treating a neuropsychiatric disorder that includes selecting a subject having the neuropsychiatric disorder and administering, to the selected subject, a potassium (K.sup.+) channel activator at a dosage effective to restore normal brain interstitial glial K.sup.+ levels in the selected subject and treat the neuropsychiatric disorder is also disclosed.

The present disclosure is directed to a method of treating a neuropsychiatric disorder. This method involves selecting a subject having the neuropsychiatric disorder and administering to the selected subject a preparation of glial progenitor cells at a dosage effective to treat the neuropsychiatric disorder in the subject. Another aspect of the disclosure is directed to a method of treating a neuropsychiatric disorder that includes selecting a subject having the neuropsychiatric disorder and administering, to the selected subject, a potassium (K.sup.+) channel activator at a dosage effective to restore normal brain interstitial glial K.sup.+ levels in the selected subject and treat the neuropsychiatric disorder is also disclosed.

The invention provides a method for producing a cell aggregate containing a ciliary marginal zone-like structure by culturing a cell aggregate containing a retinal tissue in which Chx10 positive cells are present in a proportion of 20% or more of the tissue in a serum-free medium or serum-containing medium, each containing a substance acting on the Wnt signal pathway for only a period before the appearance of a RPE65 gene expressing cell, followed by culturing the “cell aggregate in which a RPE65 gene expressing cell does not appear” thus obtained in a serum-free medium or serum-containing medium, each not containing a substance acting on the Wnt signal pathway and so on.

The invention provides a method for producing a cell aggregate containing a ciliary marginal zone-like structure by culturing a cell aggregate containing a retinal tissue in which Chx10 positive cells are present in a proportion of 20% or more of the tissue in a serum-free medium or serum-containing medium, each containing a substance acting on the Wnt signal pathway for only a period before the appearance of a RPE65 gene expressing cell, followed by culturing the “cell aggregate in which a RPE65 gene expressing cell does not appear” thus obtained in a serum-free medium or serum-containing medium, each not containing a substance acting on the Wnt signal pathway and so on.

The present disclosure provides methods for inducing cell cycle reentry of postmitotic cell. The present disclosure further provides cells and compositions for treating diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, neural disorders, hearing loss, and diabetes.

The present disclosure provides methods for inducing cell cycle reentry of postmitotic cell. The present disclosure further provides cells and compositions for treating diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, neural disorders, hearing loss, and diabetes.

The presently disclosed subject matter provides for in vitro methods of inducing differentiation of stem cells (e.g., human stem cells) into proprioceptors, proprioceptors generated by such methods, and compositions comprising such proprioceptors. The presently disclosed subject matter also provides for uses of such proprioceptors for preventing and/or treating disorders of proprioceptor neurons and/or neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., Friedreich's Ataxia).