Disclosed herein are cell cultures comprising dorsal and/or ventral PDX1-positive foregut endoderm cells and methods of producing the same. Also disclosed herein are cell populations comprising substantially purified dorsal and/or ventral PDX1-positive foregut endoderm cells as well as methods for enriching, isolating and purifying dorsal and/or ventral PDX1-positive foregut endoderm cells from other cell types. Methods of identifying differentiation factors capable of promoting the differentiation of dorsal and/or ventral PDX1-positive foregut endoderm cells, are also disclosed.

Methods and compositions directed to altering a population of sRNAs in a sperm using vesicles isolated from an epididymosome are provided. Methods and compositions directed to altering a population of sRNAs in an oocyte using vesicles isolated from an epididymosome are also provided. Methods for altering an sRNA population in a sperm or an oocyte can be used to prevent, or reduce the severity of, a disease, disorder, or condition that would otherwise be inherited by progeny. For example, certain epigenetic inherited conditions due to paternal effects, such as certain metabolic and stress disorders and conditions, can be ameliorated in progeny using sperm or oocytes having an altered sRNA population.

Methods of generating modified embryos and mammals by introduction of donor cells into an early stage embryo are provided, such that the resulting embryo and animal generated therefrom has a significant contribution to all tissues from the donor cells and is capable of transmitting the donor cell DNA.

The present invention provides compositions and methods of using placental stem cells that originate from a post-partum placenta with conventional cord blood compositions or other stem or progenitor cells. The placental stem cells can be used alone or in a mixture with other stem cell populations. In accordance with the present invention, the placental stem cells may be mixed with other stem cell populations, including but not limited to, umbilical cord blood, fetal and neonatal hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells, human stem cells and progenitor cells derived from bone marrow. The placental stem cells and the mixed populations of placental stem cells and stem cells have a multitude of uses and applications, including but not limited to, therapeutic uses for transplantation and treatment and prevention of disease, and diagnostic and research uses.

A method for making an acellular human amnion-derived composition configured for therapeutic use is disclosed and generally includes the steps: obtaining amniotic membrane tissue; testing the amniotic membrane tissue for pathogens; washing the amniotic membrane tissue; manually removing blood-containing chorion tissue from the amniotic membrane tissue decellularizing the amniotic membrane tissue with xeno-free enzymes; collecting amniotic cells from the decellularized amniotic membrane tissue; seeding the amniotic cells for culture into xeno-free media formulated for mesenchymal stem cells; growing the amniotic cells to a specified confluency; collecting conditioned media; and freezing the collected conditioned media; wherein the method further includes irradiating the conditioned media.

Provided herein are isolated neural stem cells and methods of making neural stem cells from human trophoblast stem cells. The isolated neural stem cells can be immune privileged and express one or more protein(s). Also provided are methods for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases using suitable preparations comprising the isolated neural stem cells.

Disclosed herein include methods and compositions for in vitro culture of three-dimensional expanded pluripotency (EP) structures from pluripotent stem cells. In some embodiments, the method can include generating expanded pluripotent stem cells (EPSCs) and culturing the EPSCs in a composition capable of supporting generation of the EP structure.

An isolated biological stem cell or a set of biological stem cells that include human mesenchymal stem cell line 120816CT, deposited under ATCC Accession number PTA-124321, and differentiated into at least one type of cell selected from the group: neural stem cells, nephron progenitor cells, cardiomyocytes, neurons, glial cells, and vascular endothelial cells. The neurons comprise cholinergic neurons or dopaminergic neurons. A method of treating at least one human physical condition is also disclosed. The method includes injecting a patient with stem cell line 120816 CT to treat osteoarthritis, tendonitis, herniated disc, ligament damage, acute and chronic kidney disease and injury, Parkinson's disease, traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal cord injury, other skeletal muscular disorders, Lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular disease, Graft-versus host disease, liver dysfunction or diseases, Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, myocardial ischemia, heart failure, coronary artery disease, and other disorders characterized by inflammation.

The present invention relates to the generation of anterior definitive endoderm (ADE) cells from embryonic stem cells and the differentiation of such cells to, for example, pancreatic or liver cells. The invention also relates to cell lines, cell culture methods, cell markers and the like and their potential uses in a variety of applications.

The invention is directed to in vitro methods of inducing differentiation of anterior foregut endoderm and the enriched populations of anterior foregut endoderm produced by such methods. Such enriched populations are useful for studies of the molecular events that occur during differentiation and for generating cells for cell replacement therapy.