This invention provides RNA, oligoribonucleotide, and polyribonucleotide molecules comprising pseudouridine or a modified nucleoside, gene therapy vectors comprising same, methods of synthesizing same, and methods for gene replacement, gene therapy, gene transcription silencing, and the delivery of therapeutic proteins to tissue in vivo, comprising the molecules. The present invention also provides methods of reducing the immunogenicity of RNA, oligoribonucleotide, and polyribonucleotide molecules.

Methods for production of platelets from pluripotent stem cells, such as human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are provided. These methods may be performed without forming embryoid bodies or clusters of pluripotent stem cells, and may be performed without the use of stromal inducer cells. Additionally, the yield and/or purity can be greater than has been reported for prior methods of producing platelets from pluripotent stem cells. Also provided are compositions and pharmaceutical preparations comprising platelets, preferably produced from pluripotent stem cells.

The present invention relates to artificial transcription factors (ATFs) that alter gene expression, including inducing pluripotency in cells or promoting the conversion of cells to specific cell fates. In particular, provided herein is a zinc-finger based ATF library that can be screened in cells by looking for expression of a specific gene (e.g., reporter expression), monitoring for cell surface markers or morphology, or via functional assays.

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.

This invention relates to brown adipose tissue (BAT) progenitor cells and methods for isolating BAT progenitor cells from skeletal muscle. BAT progenitor cell surface markers and medium and agents for inducing cell differentiation into brown adipocytes are also provided. In some embodiments, the BAT progenitor cell expresses a first cell surface marker associated with endothelial cells, the first cell surface marker being detectable in an antibody based assay using a first antibody. In addition, the BAT progenitor cell can be substantially free of a second cell surface marker associated with endothelial cells, the second cell surface marker being substantially undetectable in said antibody based assay using a second antibody. The BAT progenitor cell can also be substantially free of additional cell surface markers.

Disclosed herein are human hepatocytes for example isolated human hepatic progenitor cells, artificial tissue or organ thereof, and kits or compositions thereof. Also disclosed herein are various methods of using a human hepatocyte disclosed herein.

Cardiac neural crest cells and methods for making and using the same to effect cardiac injury is described herein.

The present invention relates to a method for generating glucose-responsive beta cells.

A method of differentiating a primordial germ cell into a primordial follicle in vitro includes culturing a primordial germ cell and a supporting cell adjacent to the primordial germ cell under a pressurized condition or a low oxygen concentration condition.

A method for culturing colorectal cancer solid tumor primary cells and colorectal cancer ascites primary tumor cells and supporting reagents. A method for culturing colorectal cancer solid tumor primary cells and colorectal cancer ascites primary tumor cells and supporting reagents. Colorectal cancer solid tumor tissues are treated with mild cell dissociation reagents, and colorectal cancer cells are isolated from ascites with a mild method, thereby ensuring the vitality of cancer cells to the greatest extent. A special serum-free medium is prepared, and colorectal cancer solid tumor-derived tumor cells are cultured in vitro with a suspension culture system to ensure normal expansion of the cancer cells while eliminating the interference of normal cells to the greatest extent. The colorectal cancer primary cell culture obtained by the method are usable for in vitro experiments, second-generation sequencing, building of animal models, and building of cell lines at multiple cell levels.