Disclosed herein are pluripotent stem cells cultured with one or more peptide and methods of isolating said stem cells. Also disclosed are methods of targeting the stem cells to a desired region or area within an organism. Also disclosed are methods of using the isolated stem cells for the improvement of fertility, for the promotion of hair growth, for the treatment or prevention of skin conditions, for the treatment or improvement of bone disorders, for the treatment of malignancies, and for the treatment of neurological disorders.

The present invention relates to oligonucleotides that are capable of inducing expression of ubiquitin-protein ligase E3A (UBE3A) from the paternal allele in animal or human neurons. The oligonucleotides target the suppressor of the UBE3A paternal allele by hybridization to SNHG14 long non-coding RNA downstream of SNORD109B. The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treatment of Angelman syndrome.

The present invention provides a method for producing neural cells or a neural tissue, including the following steps (1)-(3): (1) a first step of culturing pluripotent stem cells in the absence of feeder cells and in a medium containing 1) a TGFβ family signal transduction pathway inhibiting substance and/or a Sonic hedgehog signal transduction pathway activating substance, and 2) a factor for maintaining undifferentiated state, (2) a second step of culturing the cells obtained in the first step in suspension to form a cell aggregate, and (3) a third step of culturing the aggregate obtained in the second step in suspension in the presence or absence of a differentiation-inducing factor to obtain an aggregate containing neural cells or a neural tissue.

The present invention provides a method for producing retinal cells or a retinal tissue, comprising the following steps (1)-(3): (1) a first step of culturing human pluripotent stem cells in the absence of feeder cells and in a medium comprising a factor for maintaining undifferentiated state, (2) a second step of culturing the pluripotent stem cells obtained in the first step in suspension in the presence of a Sonic hedgehog signal transduction pathway activating substance to form a cell aggregate, and (3) a third step of culturing the aggregate obtained in the second step in suspension in the presence of a 1) a BMP signal transduction pathway activating substance to obtain an aggregate containing retinal cells or a retinal tissue.

Compositions and methods for producing major ocular cell types, including retinal ganglion cells, photoreceptors, retinal pigmented epithelium and corneal endothelial cells, from human pluripotent stem cells under defined culture conditions are provided.

Compositions and methods for administering optogenetically-activatable cells for repair of the nervous system after injury or disease are contemplated herein.

The invention provides compositions and in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro methods for trans-differentiation of or re-programming mammalian cells to functional neurons. In particular, the invention provides methods for engineering non-neuronal cells into neurons, including fully functional human neuronal cells, and methods for engineering non-neuronal cells into neurons, e.g., fully functional human neuronal cells, in the brain to treat a neurodegenerative disease. In alternative embodiments, the invention provides compositions comprising re-differentiated or re-programmed mammalian cells, such as human cells, of the invention. The invention also provides compositions and methods for direct reprogramming of cells to a second phenotype or differentiated phenotype, such as a neuron, including a fully functional human neuronal cell. The invention also provides formulations, products of manufacture, implants, artificial organs or tissues, or kits, comprising a trans-differentiated or re-programmed cell of the invention, e.g., a fully functional human neuronal cell.

A pluripotent stem cell, a method for producing the pluripotent stem cell, and the use of the pluripotent stem cell for stem cell differentiation, cell transplantation, tissue repair, and/or tissue regeneration.

Methods for generating human forebrain neural progenitor cells and mature forebrain neurons from human pluripotent stem cells are provided using chemically-defined culture media. The methods allow for the initial generation of OTX2+FEZF2+SIX3+ forebrain neural stem cells, with further culturing allowing for the generation of NKX2-1+ ventral forebrain neural stem cells and subsequently the generation of ASCL1+ medial ganglionic eminence neural progenitor cells (MGE-NPCs). The MGE-NPCs are further differentiated to immatured neurons and mature GABAergic interneurons. Culture media, isolated cell populations and kits are also provided.

The present invention relates to methods for culturing human retinal progenitor cells under low oxygen conditions to allow the cells to retain the ability to differentiate into photoreceptors following transplantation. The described methods provide cells that can treat a number of ocular diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration.