Methods are provided for producing differentiated cells from stem cells, including producing hepatocytes. Compositions thereof are also provided, as are methods of treating a liver disorder.

The present invention relates generally to the field of cell biology of stem cells, more specifically the directed differentiation of pluripotent or multipotent stem cells, including human embryonic stem cells (hESC), somatic stem cells, and induced human pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) using novel culture conditions. Specifically, methods are provided for obtaining neural tissue, floor plate cells, and placode including induction of neural plate development in hESCs for obtaining midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons, motorneurons, and sensory neurons. Further, neural plate tissue obtained using methods of the present inventions are contemplated for use in co-cultures with other tissues as inducers for shifting differentiation pathways, i.e. patterning.

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

The present invention relates to a method for producing dendritic cells with increased capability to activate T cells, to dendritic cells obtainable by such a method, and to a pharmaceutical composition comprising such dendritic cells.

Finding biologically relevant cancer markers is key to developing an effective treatment. Once specific antigens have been identified that are present on the cell population responsible for propagating tumors, T cells can be genetically altered to target these antigens and then used for personalized T cell therapy. A method to identify and select peptide antigens that effectively associate with and are presented by host HLA surface molecules originating from tumor cells responsible for the persistence and propagation of a cancer has been developed. The system of using these data to produce T cells engineered to express T cell receptors recognizing the peptide antigens is used in the production of a personalized adoptive T cell therapy for cancer that eliminates the cells capable of tumor propagation and cancer progression. The system is especially useful in the production of cancer treatments to achieve complete durable remission of cancers of epithelial origin.

The present invention provides a method for putting a primed pluripotent stem cell in a less differentiated state, a method for producing a pluripotent stem cell having an improved chimera forming ability from a primed pluripotent stem cell, and a method for producing a chimeric animal by using the pluripotent stem cell obtained by any of these methods. The present invention also provides a composition containing a Wnt/ catenin signal inhibitor.

The production of high quality retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) cells is necessary for research and potential therapeutic uses. Especially desirable are methods for the production of RPE cells using xeno-free culture conditions. Disclosed herein are novel methods for the production of RPE cells from pluripotent cells with high yields, including xeno-free production methods. Also provided are methods of efficiently isolating RPE cells from cultures containing heterogeneous cell types, allowing for substantially pure RPE cell cultures to be established. Additionally, novel methods for the cryopreservation of RPE cells are provided.

Compositions and methods described herein include somatic cells that are competent for reprogramming and malignant transformation and are characterized by a reduction of the levels of Sp100 in the cells, cells having markers of pluripotent stem cells, and methods for preparing same. Methods for reversably regulating aging or reprogramming to pluripotency in a somatic cell involve modulating the expression of Sp100 therein. Methods and compositions for retarding the growth of or suppressing unwanted cell proliferation involve expressing, inducing expression of, or upregulating, Sp100 in a targeted cell that is undergoing unrestricted proliferation or replication or increasing exposure to Sp100 in the environment or microenvironment of the targeted cell. Also disclosed are methods for treating a proliferative disease or condition by increasing expression or levels of Sp100 in the targeted cell or its environment.

A method for producing hematopoietic stem cells and/or hematopoietic progenitor cells from pluripotent stem cells is described. The method includes a step of culturing pluripotent stem cells in the presence of IGF2. A method is described for selecting an induced pluripotent stem cell(s) having high capacity to differentiate into hematopoietic stem cells and/or hematopoietic progenitor cells, or into blood cells, based on the expression level(s) of one or more genes such as TRIM58, CTSF, FAM19A5, and TCERG1L genes, or on the DNA methylation state(s) of the TRIM58, CSMD1, and/or FAM19A5 gene(s).

The present invention provides a compounded cell culture medium powder formulation comprising: a basal medium powder and a cell culture media supplement, wherein the cell culture media supplement comprises and one or more salts; one or more growth factors; one or more inorganic ions; an amino acid supplement comprising one or more of asparagine, glutamine, histidine, and serine; one or more buffers; and one or more anti-foaming agents. The invention further provides methods of making a compounded cell culture medium powder formulation methods of making a cell culture medium for growing mammalian cells and methods of producing a protein of interest by culturing cells in the cell culture medium and isolating the protein of interest.