A Tris-Acetate-Phosphate-Pluronic (TAPP) medium that undergoes thermoreversible sol-gel transitions to efficiently culture and harvest microalgae without affecting productivity. After seeding microalgae in a TAPP medium in solution phase at 15 degrees C., the temperature is increased by 7 degrees C. to induce gelation. Within the gel, microalgae grow in large clusters rather than as isolated cells. Such clusters are easily harvested gravimetrically by decreasing the temperature to bring the medium to a solution phase. The settling velocity of the microalgal clusters is approximately ten times larger than that of individual cells cultured in typical solution media. Hence, microalgae can be cultured without constant mixing and about 90 percent of the biomass can be harvested in an energy efficient fashion.

A novel class of agents has been identified to serve as cell-guard agents and/or target-specific supplements to increase cell quality and yield, as well as select for target cell populations. Several additive agents (both natural and synthetic) have been identified, including Vitamin D3, NAC, resveratrol, salubrinal, AKT, and tunicamycin (among others) that hold promise for application in cell models. In one embodiment, hypothermic stress regimes are utilized. In another embodiment, normothermic conditions are utilized while other stressors are tested in the processing. The methods of maintaining mass cell cultures and/or selecting out particular cell populations for further research and clinical use represents an important step in therapeutic discovery.

Embodiments of the current invention include a hydrogel formed from crosslinked polyethylene glycol into which acrylated glucose oxidase has been immobilized through crosslinking to the gel. These hydrogels can be used to create hypoxia under ambient conditions for at least 72 hours and can be used to create hypoxic gradients. These embodiments permit the study of cells under a variety of hypoxic conditions.

The invention provides a callus induction medium for blueberry tissue culture, taking woody plant medium (WPM) as a basic medium, and including: 0.5-5.0 mg/L forchlorfenuron (CPPU) and 0.1-0.4 mg/L 2-isopentenyladenine (2-ip). The present invention also provides a callus culture method for blueberry, including inoculating the blueberry explant into the above callus induction medium to conduct induction culture in order to form blueberry callus. The present invention also discloses the medium combination and culture method to culture the above blueberry callus to blueberry tissue culture plant. For the above medium and culture method, the differentiation effect is good, efficiency is high, one can conduct continuous differentiation, and the effect is better on multiple varieties.

A method for preparing non-free radical photo-crosslinked hydrogels includes: dissolving component A that is a polymer derivative modified with o-nitrobenzyl phototrigger in a biocompatible medium to obtain solution A; dissolving component B that is a polymer derivative containing hydrazide, hydroxylamine or primary amine in a biocompatible medium to obtain solution B; mixing solution A and solution B to obtain a precursor solution of hydrogel; under light irradiation, crosslinking aldehyde generated from the o-nitrobenzyl with the hydrazine, hydroxylamine or primary amine to obtain a hydrogel by forming hydrazone, oxime or schiff base, respectively. A kit for preparation and application of the hydrogel in tissue repair, beauty therapy, and cells, proteins or drugs carriers is also described. The method or kit can achieve in situ photo-gelling on tissue surface or in situ forming thin gel on wounds in clinical treatment of wounds.

Provided are a production method for hepatocyte lineage cells, a hepatocyte lineage cell or culture product obtained by the production method, and a hepatocyte differentiation-inducing medium. It has been found that the differentiation of iPS cells to hepatocyte lineage cells is efficiently induced by adding lactic acid or a salt thereof to a related-art hepatocyte differentiation-inducing medium.

Methods and systems for enhancing cell populations such as chondrocytes for tissue engineering applications, e.g., for production of neocartilage. The methods and systems of the present invention feature the introduction of a hypotonic buffer to the cells during the cell isolation process, which results in neotissue (e.g., neocartilage) constructs that are significantly more mechanically robust as compared to those not treated with hypotonic buffer. The methods and systems may further comprise introducing cytochalasin D to cells purified with hypotonic buffer, which can further bolster the mechanical properties and matrix deposition of the cells. The methods and systems result in neocartilage engineered from chondrocytes, for example, from fetal aged tissue, having compressive properties on par with native adult articular cartilage.

This disclosure provides a culture media that facilitates survival and/or engraftment of transplanted cells. In one embodiment, this culture media comprises collagen I, albumin, L-glutamine and NaHCO.sub.3. In one embodiment, this culture media promotes enhanced survival and engraftment of ?-cells of human pancreatic islets transplanted under the skin. The protective effect of this culture media is mediated, at least partly, by upregulating anti-apoptotic signaling pathways.

Methods of improving recombinant protein titer and cell titer in cell culture using cell culture media having reduced impurities are provided, and well as cell culture media having reduced impurities that can used for the production of a recombinant protein and cells with improved titer. The cell culture media having reduced impurities comprises a HEPES buffer, and the reduced impurities are HEPES related impurities. In certain aspects, methods and media improve protein titer, cell growth, and/or viable cell density.

This disclosure generally relates to cell-based therapies for treatment of visual disorders, including disorders of the cornea. Methods are exemplified for directed differentiation of corneal cells from stem cells. Compositions of corneal endothelial cells and uses thereof are also provided. Exemplary compositions exhibit improved cell density and/or more youthful gene expression relative to cells obtained from donated tissue.