A non-freezing refrigerated storage liquid for stem cells such as iPS cells, according to an embodiment, comprises: potassium ion species in a range of 30 to 80 mmoL/L; sodium ion species in a range of 30 to 80 mmoL/L, wherein ion-based molar ratio of sodium ion species to potassium ion species (ratio ofNa.sup.+ to K.sup.+) is in a range of 0.5 to 1.3; trolox or its analog at a concentration of 1 to 8 mM; adenine or a salt or derivative thereof at a concentration of 0.1 to 4.2 mM; all of or all but one, two or three of essential amino acids, total content of which is 50 to 200 mg; and non-essential amino acids, total content of which is 50 to 200 mg/L.

The present invention relates to a composition for the cryopreservation of myocardial cells, the composition comprising BLEB and/or PAB (or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof) and an antifreeze agent. The present invention further relates to a myocardial cell cryopreservation kit containing the composition, a method for the cryopreservation of mammal myocardial cells by means of using the composition above, and the use of the composition above in the preparation of a reagent for the cryopreservation of mammal myocardial cells.

An object of the present invention is to provide (i) a cryopreservation solution which can be used for cryopreserving umbilical cord blood, peripheral blood, and a component containing hematopoietic stem cells derived from any one of these types of blood and which has characteristics suitable for various utilization forms and (ii) use of the cryopreservation solution. In a cryopreservation method in accordance with the present invention, a cryopreservation solution containing a cryoprotectant and glucose is mixed with umbilical cord blood or peripheral blood, and a mixture thus obtained is frozen.

Provided herein are constructs of micro-aggregate multicellular, minimally polarized grafts containing Leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein coupled Receptor (LGR) expressing cells for wound therapy applications, tissue engineering, cell therapy applications, regenerative medicine applications, medical/therapeutic applications, tissue healing applications, immune therapy applications, and tissue transplant therapy applications which preferably are associated with a delivery vector/substrate/support/scaffold for direct application.

Pluripotent cells that are immunopositive for both the neural progenitor marker nestin and a pluripotent cell marker are provided. The cells exhibit rapid doubling times and can be maintained in vitro for extended periods. Also provided are cell cultures containing the pluripotent cells, a method of transplanting human pluripotent cells to a host, and a method of reducing seizure activity in a subject. These pluripotent cells, when transplanted into the ventricle of a host animal, migrate to the site of damage and adopt a suitably corrective phenotype, resulting in both structural and functional restoration.

Disclosed are viable cell compositions and related methods of preparation, maintenance and use. The viable cell composition can contain specified levels of cells, hydroxyethyl starch, and dimethylsulfoxide, and can be cryopreserved. The cryopreserved form of the composition can be thawed and combined with an aqueous liquid diluting medium to prepare a diluted viable cell composition that can contain specified, reduced levels of the dimethylsulfoxide and hydroxyethyl starch. The diluting medium can contain trehalose. The prepared, diluted viable cell composition can be administered to a patient.

In one aspect, solvent systems are described herein. In some embodiments, such a solvent system comprises a disaccharide component, choline halide or choline acetate, and water. The water is present in the solvent system in an amount of 5 weight percent to less than 25 weight percent, and the solvent system is free of crystals. In another aspect, biomolecular compositions are described herein. Such a composition can comprise one or more biological molecules dissolved in a solvent system described herein. In yet another aspect, methods of storing a biological composition are described herein. In some instances, such a method comprises contacting the biological composition with a liquid preservative composition, wherein the liquid preservative composition comprises a solvent system or biomolecular composition described herein.

The present invention relates to a device for cryopreservation of a cell or tissue, including a deposition part on which a cell or tissue is to be deposited, the deposition part having a layer containing a water-soluble polymeric compound on an outermost surface of the deposition part; and a method of cryopreservation using the device.

Preparing a cell population rich in cells having a given phenotype depending on their use (e.g., type II collagen-positive nucleus pulposus cells) from a cell population containing Tie2-positive stem/progenitor cells (e.g., nucleus pulposus stem/progenitor cells). The present invention provides culture methods wherein a cell population containing Tie2-positive stem/progenitor cells is cultured (1) while present in a non-digested tissue, (2) in a culture medium containing at least one kind of Tie2 expression enhancer other than growth factors, (3) using cultureware with a culture surface having undergone cell attachment-increasing treatment, or (4) while suppressing formation of spheroid colonies in a culture medium containing an extracellular matrix-degrading agent.

An object of the present invention is to provide (i) a cryopreservation solution which can be used for cryopreserving umbilical cord blood, peripheral blood, and a component containing hematopoietic stem cells derived from any one of these types of blood and which has characteristics suitable for various utilization forms and (ii) use of the cryopreservation solution. In a cryopreservation method in accordance with the present invention, a cryopreservation solution containing a cryoprotectant and glucose is mixed with umbilical cord blood or peripheral blood, and a mixture thus obtained is frozen.