The invention enables efficient, rapid, and sensitive enumeration of living cells by detecting microscopic colonies derived from in situ cell division using large area imaging. Microbial enumeration tests based on the invention address an important problem in clinical and industrial microbiology—the long time needed for detection in traditional tests—while retaining key advantages of the traditional methods based on microbial culture. Embodiments of the invention include non-destructive aseptic methods for detecting cellular microcolonies without labeling reagents. These methods allow for the generation of pure cultures which can be used for microbial identification and determination of antimicrobial resistance.

A method of qualifying whether a cell population is a suitable therapeutic for treating an eye condition is disclosed. The method comprises analyzing co-expression of premelanosome protein (PMEL17) and at least one polypeptide selected from the group consisting of cellular retinaldehyde binding protein (CRALBP), lecithin retinol acyltransferase (LRAT) and sex determining region Y-box 9 (SOX 9) in the population of cells.

A method for identifying a sub-population within a mixed population of cells is disclosed. The method involves contacting the mixed population of cells with at least one unique binding agent, wherein the at least one unique binding agent is designed to bind to a target molecule present in the sub-population, and wherein the at least one unique binding agent is attached to an epitope specific barcode that represents the identity of the target molecule. The method further involves sequentially attaching two or more assayable polymer subunits to the epitope specific barcode to create unique cell origination barcodes that represent the identities of individual cells to which the at least one unique binding agent has bound; and decoding the epitope specific barcode and cell origination barcodes, thereby identifying the sub-population within the mixed population of cells.

Disclosed herein are neural extracellular vesicles (EVs) and methods of using these EVs in the treatment of spinal cord injury, stroke, and traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative disease.

The present invention relates to the field of tumor immunology. It provides a method for identifying mutation-related human CD8+ T cells, in particular, tumor-specific T cells of a human subject, comprising analyzing CD8+ T cells of the subject by analysing the expression of at least one marker selected from a first group consisting of CD82, CD194, CD244, CD28, CD62L and CD55, and preferably, a marker selected from a second group comprising CD11a or CD18 or CD43. A preferred marker for mutation-related CD8+ T cells is CD82, which may be analysed in combination, e.g., with CD11a. Without the need to identify any epitope to which T cells reacts, this method can advantageously be used to isolate the entire individual pool of mutation-related T cells, and, optionally, to identify the sequence of a mutation-related TCR, which allows for generation of transgenic T cells expressing the TCR. Compositions substantially comprising tumor-specific CD82.sup.hiCD8+ T cells and/or CD194.sup.hi, CD244.sup.−, CD28.sup.+, CD62L.sup.+ and/or CD55.sup.+ CD82.sup.hi CD8+ T cells can be used for treatment of a cancer patient, e.g., by adoptive T cell transfer. The method of the invention can also be used for diagnostic purposes to identify human mutation-related T cells or diagnosing a tumor disease or for testing responses of a cancer patient to an immune stimulatory therapy, preferably, a therapy with a checkpoint inhibitor.

Provided are an odorant receptor marker of microglia and a use thereof, and according to the odorant receptor marker of microglia and a use thereof according to one aspect, microglia may be detected by measuring an activity or expression level of a protein of an odorant receptor (OR) Olfr110 or Olfr111, and OR ligands of microglia may be selected using them, and an inhibitor or activator against the interaction between the OR and 2-pentylfuran is effectively used in treatment of a neuroinflammatory disease or meningitis.

The present invention relates to a method for memory B cell-specific differentiation induction and to uses thereof and, more specifically, to an anti-CD3 antibody or ligand in a biological sample obtained from and individual, a method for memory B cell-specific differentiation induction comprising a step of treating an anti-CD28 antibody or ligand, and a method for detection a memory B cell which is specific to a specific antigen by using same.

The present invention relates to fusion proteins which are capable of binding to phosphatidylserine comprising a phosphatidylserene binding ligand and a modified O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase which is capable of autoconjugation to an O6-benzylguanine-modified label, the fusion proteins being capable of binding to phosphatidylserine on the surface of a cell undergoing apoptosis. The invention also relates to recombinant polypeptide precursors of the fusion proteins which comprise a secretion leader sequence, purification tag, protease cleavage site and the fusion protein. Also included in the scope of the invention are nucleic acids encoding the recombinant polypeptide precursor, vectors comprising the nucleic acids, host cells comprising the vectors, methods of production of the fusion proteins, kits and assays for detecting apoptosis.

The present invention relates to automated methods for isolating fetal cells from a sample, such as a blood sample, derived from a pregnant woman. The isolated fetal cells can be used for identifying genetic abnormalities in the fetal DNA.

The present disclosure provides methods for processing extracellular vesicles in which the extracellular vesicles are not purified, prior to contacting with a fluorescent staining dye or an antibody. By utilizing a centrifugal filter, excess staining dye or antibody can be readily removed prior to analysis of one or more characteristics of the extracellular vesicles. The methods provide rapid and simple processing and analysis, while maintaining a high concentration of extracellular vesicles.