Provide herein are compositions, methods and kits to accelerate pluripotent stem cell differentiation.

The present invention is targeted towards reinvigorating exhausted Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) in vitro by co-culturing excised TIL containing tumor fragments with checkpoint inhibitors, stimulating the TILs with other interleukins known to revert T cell exhaustion), and/or inhibiting the effect of regulatory T cells secreted factors (such as IL-10) thereby creating a favorable tumor microenvironment (TME) where exhausted T-cells can expand faster and to higher numbers than currently established TIL expansion protocols.

The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a manufacturing method of mitochondria-rich plasma. The mitochondria-rich plasma can increase the cell viability of damaged cells, decrease the cellular senescence level, repair the oxidative damage of cells, and relieve the inflammation of hair follicles so as to achieve the purpose of promoting hair regrowth.

Provided herein are compositions and methods related to culturing bacteria (such as hemoglobin-dependent bacteria) with a heme-containing polypeptide (such as a heme-containing polypeptide that is not sourced from an animal and/or can be recombinantly produced).

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, motor neurons, 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.

Embodiments herein described provide antigen-presenting cell-mimetic scaffolds (APC-MS) and use of such scaffolds to manipulating T-cells. More specifically, the scaffolds are useful for promoting growth, division, differentiation, expansion, proliferation, activity, viability, exhaustion, anergy, quiescence, apoptosis, or death of T-cells in various settings, e.g., in vitro, ex vivo, or in vivo. Embodiments described herein further relate to pharmaceutical compositions, kits, and packages containing such scaffolds. Additional embodiments relate to methods for making the scaffolds, compositions, and kits/packages. Also described herein are methods for using the scaffolds, compositions, and/or kits in the diagnosis or therapy of diseases such as cancers, immunodeficiency disorders, and/or autoimmune disorders.

The present disclosure relates to in vitro models of biliary atresia obtained by culturing of human liver organoids and/or mini-bile ducts and exposing the liver organoids and/or mini-bile ducts to biliatresone. The present disclosure also provides methods of preparation of the in vitro models of biliary atresia, and applications thereof.

The invention provides culture platforms, cell media, and methods of differentiating pluriptent cells into hematopoietic cells. The invention further provides pluripotent stem cell-derived hematopoietic cells generated using the culture platforms and ethods disclosed herein, which enable feed-free, monolayer culturing and in the absence of EB formation. Specifically, pluripotent stem cell-derived hematopoietic cell of this invention include, and not limited to, iHSC, definitive hemogenic endothelium, hematopoietic multipotent progenitors, T cell progenitors, NK cell progenitors, T cells, and NK cells.

A pharmaceutical includes helper T cells induced from pluripotent stem cells. The helper T cells include CD4-positive CD40L-highly expressing T cells, dendritic cells, antigen, and cytotoxic T cells CD8-positive T cells. The pharmaceutical can be administered in a method for treating cancer to a patient having cancer cells expressing an antigen specifically recognized by CD4-positive T cells.

Embodiments of the disclosure includes methods of producing viral-specific therapy (VST) cells specific for the SARS-CoV-2 virus and uses of the cells. The methods may utilized peptide mixtures and stimulation of mononuclear cells using particular cytokine cocktails. The cells may also be genetically modified to lack expression of one or more endogenous genes, including one or more genes that renders the cells more effective and/or able to withstand deleterious conditions, such as the presence of glucocorticoids.