Disclosed herein are methods for generating SC- cells, and isolated populations of SC- cells for use in various applications, such as cell therapy.

The invention is based, in part, on the discovery that a polypeptide, referred to herein as Betacam, is selectively expressed on the surface of pancreatic islet cells. Thus, in one aspect, the invention is directed to compositions comprising Betacam or that can be used to detect Betacam. In another aspect, the invention provides methods of detecting (e.g., non-invasively) pancreatic beta cells from a mammalian cell source. Another aspect of the invention is directed to cellular purification of pancreatic beta cells from a heterogeneous cell source of multiple kinds. In another aspect, the invention provides methods of identifying agents that modulate activity of Betacam. In yet another aspect, the invention provides for improved treatment and diagnosis of diabetes.

The invention refers to BTBD9 binders and gephyrin binders for medical use and in particular an artemisinin compound of general formula I for use in the treatment of a diabetes patient, as well as a method of identifying suitable lead candidates.

The present invention prepared insulin-producing endocrine cells by inducing the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells or human induced pluripotent stem cells into definitive endoderm (DE), pancreatic endoderm (PE), endocrine progenitors (EP), and endocrine cells (EC) stepwise in that order. Particularly, the present invention established the conditions for the formation of an insulin producing endocrine aggregate (EA) from the endocrine cells. Especially in this invention, it was confirmed that the endocrine aggregate has the cell proliferation potential at a significant level and has the increased insulin productivity as well as the activity of inhibiting cell necrosis and apoptosis. Therefore, the method for preparing the endocrine aggregate of insulin-producing beta cells from human pluripotent stem cells can be effectively used for the examination of the medicinal effect of the conventional antidiabetic agents and of the novel antidiabetic drugs.

The present invention relates to cells with altered cell cycle control. In particular, the present invention provides cells with altered cell cycle control and uses of such cells to identify metabolically active agents.

The present disclosure is directed to novel methods of treating type-1 or type-2 diabetes by inactivating TLR2 and TLR4 genes together in cells capable of producing insulin and/or regenerating cells, and providing the cells to a subject in need thereof.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for reducing the risk of post-imaging pancreatitis for procedures that employ a radiocontrast medium, particularly procedures that selectively image the pancreas, gallbladder and/or biliary tree. In non-limiting embodiments, the invention provides for a radiocontrast medium comprising: (i) a radiocontrast agent; (ii) a calcineurin inhibitor; and (iii) an antioxidant, and its use in performing imaging of the pancreas and related structures with decreased risk of subsequent pancreatitis relative to conventional radiocontrast agents that lack elements (ii) and (iii).

The present application relates to a method of characterizing an agent's ability to increase insulin secretion in a subject. The method comprises determining whether the agent is able to modulate MAG level at the inner surface of the cytoplasmic membrane of a cell and/or ABHD6 activity. The agent is characterized as having the ability to increase insulin secretion in the subject when it is capable of upregulating MAG level at the inner surface of the cytoplasmic membrane and/or downregulating ABHD6 activity.

Methods, kits, compositions, and systems are provided for culturing pluripotent stem cells to produce populations of cells comprising beta-like cells (e.g., pancreatic lineage, glucose-responsive, and/or insulin-producing). In particular, culture conditions are provided that result in the generation of beta-like cells from a starting culture of human pluripotent stem cells.

The invention provides, in part, methods for diagnosing a pancreatic -cell disorder, predicting a subject's risk of developing a pancreatic -cell disorder, monitoring pancreatic -cell function or pancreatic -cell mass in a subject at risk of developing a pancreatic -cell disorder, monitoring efficacy of a treatment of a pancreatic -cell disorder in a subject, identifying a subject having an increased risk of developing a pancreatic -cell disorder, selecting a subject for treatment of a pancreatic -cell disorder, selecting a subject for participation in a clinical study, and detecting endoplasmic reticulum stress in a pancreatic -cell. These methods include determining at least one level of soluble mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) in a biological sample from the subject. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions containing a soluble MANF protein and kits containing an antibody or an antigen-binding antibod fragment that binds specifically to a soluble MANF.