The invention relates to senescent cell biomarkers and the uses thereof. The invention also extends to methods and kits for detecting senescence, and drug conjugates and pharmaceutical compositions for killing senescent cells.

The invention provides a method for inducing human primordial germ cell-like (PGC-like) cells from human pluripotent stem cells, with high efficiency and high reproducibility, and a cell surface marker for identifying human PGC-like cells. In particular, the invention provides a method for producing a human PGC-like cell from a human pluripotent stem cell, includes a step of producing a mesoderm-like cell by culturing a human pluripotent stem cell in a culture medium comprising activin A and a GSK3 inhibitor, and a step of culturing the mesoderm-like cell in a culture medium containing BMP. The invention also provides a method for producing an isolated human PGC-like cell, which includes the aforementioned two steps and the additional step of selecting a cell positive to at least one cell surface marker selected from the group consisting of PECAM (CD31), INTEGRINa6 (CD49f), INTEGRIN3 (CD61), KIT (CD117), EpCAM, PODOPLANIN and TRA1-81.

Use of (i) an anti-CD3 antibody, (ii) an anti-CD56 antibody, (iii) an anti-CD14 antibody, (iv) an anti-CD38 antibody, (v) an anti-CD45 antibody, (vi) an anti-CD90 antibody, (vii) an anti-CD135 antibody, (viii) an anti-CD10 antibody, (ix) an anti-CD11c antibody, (x) an anti-CD19 antibody, (xi) an anti-CD34 antibody, (xii) an anti-CD45RA antibody, (xiii) an anti-CD7 antibody, (xiv) an anti-CD71 antibody, (xv) an anti-CD41/CD61 complex antibody or an anti-CD41 antibody and/or an anti-CD61 antibody (xvi) an anti-CD33 antibody and/or an anti-CD66b antibody, for identifying hematopoietic cell subtypes in an isolated sample, determining the relative frequency of hematopoietic cell subtypes in an isolated sample and/or quantifying the number of cells within hematopoietic cell subtypes in an isolated sample, wherein each of (i) to (xvi) is labelled with a different fluorochrome, wherein when (xvi) is an anti-CD33 antibody and an anti-CD66b antibody, the anti-CD33 antibody and anti-CD66b are labelled with the same fluorochrome, and wherein when (xv) is an anti-CD41 antibody and an anti-CD61 antibody, the anti-CD4 antibody and the anti-CD61 antibody are labelled with the same fluorochrome.

The present invention is a multivalent immunogenic composition for immunizing an animal against filariasis. In some embodiments, the antigens of the multivalent immunogenic composition are protein-based, DNA-based, or a combination thereof. This invention also provides a method and kit for detecting a filarial nematode and determining vaccine efficacy.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods, compositions and kits for quantifying exosomes. In particular, methods, composition and kits that utilize lectins to quantify exosomes are provided.

Compositions and methods are provided for determining platelet reactivity where the levels of FcRIIa on the surface of platelets is measured and if the levels of FcRIIa are greater than a reference value, the platelets have enhanced reactivity.

The present invention provides methods for the identification, isolation and/or enrichment of human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs). In some embodiments, the method comprises a positive selection process in which a cell population containing human corneal cells is contacted with a positive affinity reagent that selectively binds to HCECs relative to cells other than HCECs (e.g., corneal keratocytes, etc.) in the population and/or a negative selection process in which a cell population containing HCECs is contacted with a negative affinity reagent that selectively binds to cells other than HCECs in the population relative to HCECs. The present invention also provides reagents and kits for the identification, isolation and/or enrichment of HCECs as well as compositions that are enriched in HCECs.

The present teachings relate generally to conjugates and methods for imaging a tumor microenvironment in a patient, and to conjugates and methods for imaging cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the tumor microenvironment of a patient. The present teachings relate generally to method of making conjugates comprising a fibroblast activation protein (FAP) inhibitor.

A method of chronically reducing a patient's pathological inflammation via the administration of an agent that specifically binds to an alpha-4 integrin or a dimer comprising an alpha-4 integrin is disclosed. The agent provided must have a binding affinity such that administration is sufficient to suppress pathological inflammation, and the agent is administered chronically to provide long-term suppression of pathological inflammation.

There are provided methods, and devices for assaying for a binding interaction between a protein, such as a monoclonal antibody, produced by a cell, and a biomolecule. The method may include retaining the cell within a chamber having an aperture; exposing the protein produced by the cell to a capture substrate, wherein the capture substrate is in fluid communication with the protein produced by the cell and wherein the capture substrate is operable to bind the protein produced by the cell; flowing a fluid volume comprising the biomolecule through the chamber via said aperture, wherein the fluid volume is in fluid communication with the capture substrate; and determining a binding interaction between the protein produced by the cell and the biomolecule.