The disclosure is directed to methods for improving the quality of oocytes for assisted reproductive technology procedures (ARTs), such as oocyte cryopreservation and in vitro fertilization. The method involves culturing an oocyte in which endogenous expression of miRNAs miR-20b, miR-199, and miR-363 is absent or reduced in the presence of exogenous miR-20b, miR-199, and miR-363. The disclosure also provides methods for selecting high-quality oocytes by assessing expression of the miRNAs miR-20b, miR-199, and miR-363 in a cumulus cell surrounding an oocyte isolated from a subject, and methods for performing an ART procedure using a selected high-quality oocyte.

Provided herein are RNA agent-loaded platelets, methods of preparing RNA agent-loaded platelets, and methods of using RNA agent-loaded platelets. In some embodiments, methods of loading RNA agents into platelets include treating platelets with a RNA agent, a cationic transfection reagent, and a loading buffer that can include a salt, a base, a loading agent, and optionally at least one organic solvent.

The present disclosure relates to methods of and systems for modifying the transcriptional regulation of stem or progenitor cells to promote their differentiation or reprogramming of somatic cells. Further, the labeling and editing of human genomic loci in live cells with three orthogonal CRISPR/Cas9 components allow multicolor detection of genomic loci with high spatial resolution, which provides an avenue for barcoding elements of the human genome in the living state.

The present disclosure provides methods and systems for the large-scale generation of differentiated stem cells. The present disclosure is also directed to systems and methods for expanding and differentiating stem cells in large-scale culture using a bioreactor chamber.

The present disclosure relates to methods and compositions for reprogramming cells to a pluripotent state. In particular, it relates to an integration- and feeder cell-free method for reprogramming primary human fibroblast cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

The present disclosure relates to methods and compositions for reprogramming cells to a pluripotent state. In particular, it relates to an integration- and feeder cell-free method for reprogramming primary human fibroblast cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

Methods are disclosed herein for treating glaucoma in a subject. In some embodiments, the methods increase retinal ganglion cell survival. The disclosed methods use exosomes and/or miRNA.

Method for expanding stemness and differentiation potential of pluripotent cells. The invention is based on the finding that increasing micro RNA-203 levels in induced pluripotent stem (iPSCs) or embryonic stem (ESCs) cells improves the quality cell fate potential and ability of these cells to differentiate into multiple cell lineages and to reach further maturation properties without interfering with their self-renewal properties. This effect is mediated through the mi R-203-dependent control of de novo DNA methyltransferases Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b, which in turn regulate the methylation landscape of pluripotent cells. The effect can be achieved by overexpression of micro RNA-203 or by adding micro RNA-203 or analogues thereof to the cell culture medium and can be observed using a variety of cellular and in vivo models. The generated cells are naïve pluripotent cells with an improved capacity to differentiate, that can be used to obtain more efficiently differentiated and mature cells proficient for regenerative medicine strategies.

The present invention relates to a method for direct reprogramming from somatic cells into pancreatic beta cells by using microRNA and small-molecule materials. The inventors of the present invention confirmed that, as a result of having attempted direct reprogramming upon co-treatment of microRNA and small-molecules (e.g., various differentiation-inducing materials), the expression level of PDX1 remarkably increased in pancreatic beta cells, and, when pancreatic beta-like cells were induced using such a method, direct reprogramming was performed with very high yield. In addition, since autologous cells are used, the present invention has the advantages of no occurrence of immune rejection responses and a low possibility of developing cancer, and thus is expected to be effectively used in the development of safer cellular therapeutic agents. In addition, pancreatic beta cells produced by the present invention are expected to be effectively used in a cellular composition for preventing, treating and ameliorating diabetes or pancreatic cancer.

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.