Methods of generating spinal cord glutamatergic interneurons (V2a interneurons) from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are provided. A method of the present disclosure may include culturing a first population of hPSCs in vitro in a neural induction medium that includes: a retinoic acid signaling pathway activator; a sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway activator; and a Notch signaling pathway inhibitor, wherein the culturing results in generation of a second population of cultured cells containing CHX10+ V2a interneurons. Also provided are non-human animal models that include the hPSC-derived spinal cord glutamatergic interneurons, and methods of producing the non-human animal models.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing oncolytic virus-containing mesenchymal stem cells having improved cell viability, a method for storing the oncolytic virus-containing stem cells produced by the method, and a cell therapeutic agent for cancer treatment containing the oncolytic virus-containing stem cells produced by the method. More particularly, an oncolytic virus is introduced into mesenchymal stem cells, followed by treatment with aspirin, so that the infection efficiency of the oncolytic virus may be increased, the replication time of the virus may be prolonged, and lysis of the stem cells by the virus may be prevented, thereby improving the viability and survival period of the stem cells and preparing anticancer stem cells having excellent activity. The anticancer stem cell therapeutic agent produced in this way is maintained at high viability during cold storage due to aspirin treatment, and thus is very useful medically and industrially.

This application provides improved cell culture media and cell culture methods comprising N-acetylcysteine. These improved cell culture media and cell culture methods increase cell viability, cellular growth rate and/or reduce cell doubling time of cholesterol auxotrophic cells, myeloma cells, and hybridoma cells.

Described herein are compositions and methods related to derivation of human notochordal cells differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The inventors have developed a two-step process for generating these iPSC-derived notochordal cells (iNCs), which can provide a renewable source of therapeutic material for use in degenerative disc disease (DDD). As iNCs are capable of reversing DDD and supporting regeneration of intervertebral disc (IVD) tissue based on the understanding that NC cells maintain homeostasis and repair of other IVD cell types such as nuclear pulposus (NP).

As disclosed herein, SIRPα is integral to immuno-evasion by many different cancer types as well as cancer resistance to therapies, and reducing SIRPα levels on can bolster antigen acquisition, processing, and presentation, decrease TME immunosuppression and thereby promote tumor-specific T cell activation to eliminate tumors and generate an adaptive immune response consisting of memory T cells, circulating antibodies, and plasma cells, all of which may be specific for neo-antigens in the original cancer. Therefore, disclosed are activated SIRPα.sup.low macrophages that are useful for treating cancers.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a novel hematopoiesis-promoting agent and a medicament comprising the hematopoiesis-promoting agent as an active ingredient for preventing or treating anemia, in particular refractory anemia. The present invention provides a hematopoiesis-promoting agent comprising an S-adenosylmethionine synthase inhibitor.

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 present invention relates to a stable method for introducing at least one inducible cassette into a cell, and permitting controllable transcription from within that inducible cassette. The method may be used for any cell type, from any eukaryotic organism, but has a particular application in the introduction of inducible cassettes into pluripotent stem cells, such as animal or human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). The inducible cassette is controllably inserted in such a way to ensure that the genetic material it contains is not silenced or subject to negative influences from the insertion site, and transcription of the genetic material is controlled.

The present disclosure relates to improved supplements, culture media and methods for enhancing the survival or proliferation of mammalian stem cells. In particular, adding a lipid supplement, such as a lipid-enriched carrier (e.g. a lipid-enriched albumin), to the culture medium may enhance the survival and/or proliferation of the stem cells by at least 5% to 65% as compared to a culture medium that does not contain the lipid supplement.

The invention relates to compounds as described herein and pharmaceutical compositions containing them. Also, the invention relates to methods for expanding stem cells and/or progenitor cells and methods for treating a hematopoietic disorder/malignancy, an autoimmune disease and/or an inherited immunodeficient disease.