Compositions comprising donor cells, acceptor cells, membrane-enclosed bodies and methods are described herein.

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 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.

A method of improving integration and/or functionality of gonadal organoids introduced to a subject includes the steps of pre-treating the subject with a chorionic gonadotrophin (CG), administering a therapeutically effective amount of the gonadal organoids to the subject, and administering the CG to the subject over time post-treatment to maintain LHCG receptor expression and signaling.

A method of improving integration and/or functionality of gonadal organoids introduced to a subject includes the steps of pre-treating the subject with a chorionic gonadotrophin (CG), administering a therapeutically effective amount of the gonadal organoids to the subject, and administering the CG to the subject over time post-treatment to maintain LHCG receptor expression and signaling.

Provided herein are immunomodulatory proteins comprising ICOSL variants and nucleic acids encoding such proteins. The immunomodulatory proteins provide therapeutic utility for a variety of immunological and oncological conditions. Compositions and methods for making and using such proteins are provided.

Provided herein are immunomodulatory proteins comprising ICOSL variants and nucleic acids encoding such proteins. The immunomodulatory proteins provide therapeutic utility for a variety of immunological and oncological conditions. Compositions and methods for making and using such proteins are provided.

A living cell transplanting device has a flexible tube capable of accommodating living cells and a cell pushing shaft inserted into the tube. The tube has a lumen penetrating therethrough and a reduced diameter front end open portion. The shaft has a small diameter end portion having a diameter smaller than that of the reduced diameter front end open portion and an enlarged diameter portion having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of reduced diameter front end open portion. Owing to contact between the enlarged diameter portion of the shaft and the reduced diameter front end open portion of the tube, a progress of the shaft is regulated. By pushing the shaft into the tube after the contact between the enlarged diameter portion and the reduced diameter front end open portion finishes, the enlarged diameter portion of the shaft passes through said reduced diameter front end open portion with expanding the reduced diameter front end open portion of the tube and projects beyond the reduced diameter front end open portion of the tube.

A living cell transplanting device has a flexible tube capable of accommodating living cells and a cell pushing shaft inserted into the tube. The tube has a lumen penetrating therethrough and a reduced diameter front end open portion. The shaft has a small diameter end portion having a diameter smaller than that of the reduced diameter front end open portion and an enlarged diameter portion having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of reduced diameter front end open portion. Owing to contact between the enlarged diameter portion of the shaft and the reduced diameter front end open portion of the tube, a progress of the shaft is regulated. By pushing the shaft into the tube after the contact between the enlarged diameter portion and the reduced diameter front end open portion finishes, the enlarged diameter portion of the shaft passes through said reduced diameter front end open portion with expanding the reduced diameter front end open portion of the tube and projects beyond the reduced diameter front end open portion of the tube.

Provided are dietary supplement composition comprising one or both of L-theanine and a trace mineral complex, optionally in combination with bioactive peptides, in an amount or amounts individually or in combination effective to promote gut health. Further optional components include a fiber oligosaccharide prebiotic, a polyphenol prebiotic, and a polynucleotide or blend. Examples of benefits include one or more of: —an increase in the amount of total short-chain fatty acid production or of at least one of propionate, acetate and butyrate; —an increase the expression or level of at least one tight junction protein (for example, claudin-1, claudin-3, claudin-4, occludin, or a zona occludens protein) or mucin-3 or decrease the expression or level of claudin-2; —an increase in transepithelial electrical resistance; —an increase in the abundance or diversity of a member or phylum of the intestinal bacterial community of the Intestinal lumen or mucus area (for example, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria, F. prausnitzii, or A. muciniphila); —an increase in the expression or level of at least one intestinal surface area marker protein (for example, villin, myosin, cadherin or sucrase-isomaltase). Methods for using such supplements are also disclosed.