The invention provides methods and compositions that improve the success of organ transplantation. The methods and compositions are directed to exposing a desired organ to stem cells prior to, during, and/or after transplantation. In one embodiment, the stem cells reduce the deleterious effects of ischemia on an organ designated to be harvested for transplantation or that has been harvested for transplantation. In another embodiment in which an organ designated for transplantation is perfused ex vivo, the method involves reducing ischemic reperfusion injury by perfusing the organ with a medium that contains stem cells.

The subject invention pertains to methods and devices for generating mature oocytes from immature oocytes and improving oocyte quality for improved success of assistant reproductive technology (ART). The methods include the use of tunneling nanotube-forming cells and oocytes, wherein the tunneling nanotube-forming cells transfer autologous genomic materials, biomolecules and cellular components to the oocytes. The devices of the invention include microfluidic device to improve the efficiency of the transfer of biomolecules and cellular components between tunneling nanotube-forming cells and oocytes.

Provided are a cell growth method including serum-free culture of somatic cells sowed in a cell growth medium containing a culture supernatant of dental pulp stem cells, wherein the somatic cells exclude physically or physiologically defected somatic cells, is a novel cell growth method for serum-free culture of somatic cells.

A method for obtaining a plurality of pluripotent adult olfactory stem cells (APOSCs) includes isolating the APOSCs, culturing the isolated APOSCs in a sphere culture medium, and collecting the cultured APOSCs that express Bmi-1 (B-lymphoma moloney murine leukemia virus insertion region-1), Oct-4 (Octamer-binding transcription factor 4), Sox-2 (Sex-determining region Y (SRY)-box 2), Nanog, SSEA-4 (Stage-specific embryonic antigen-4), ki67, c-Myc, KLF-4 (Kruppel Like Factor 4), K14 (Cytokeratin 14) and ICAM-1 (Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1).

Various embodiments of the invention provide methods of treating diabetes and other glucose regulation disorders. In one embodiment, the method comprises removing L-cells from a donor, obtaining stem cells from a patient, and culturing the L-cells in the presence of the stem cells under conditions such that the stem cells differentiate into stem cell-derived L-cells (SCDLC). An amount of the SCDLC is introduced into the patient sufficient to cause a lowering of the patient's blood glucose level after ingestion of food. In another embodiment, the method comprises removing K-cells from a donor, obtaining stem cells from a patient, and culturing the K-cells in the presence of the stem cells under conditions such that the stem cells differentiate into stem cell-derived K-cells (SCDKC). An amount of the SCDKC is introduced into the patient sufficient to cause a lowering of the patient's blood glucose level after ingestion of food.

Various embodiments of the invention provide methods of treating diabetes and other glucose regulation disorders. In one embodiment, the method comprises removing L-cells from a donor, obtaining stem cells from a patient, and culturing the L-cells in the presence of the stem cells under conditions such that the stem cells differentiate into stem cell-derived L-cells (SCDLC). An amount of the SCDLC is introduced into the patient sufficient to cause a lowering of the patient's blood glucose level after ingestion of food. In another embodiment, the method comprises removing K-cells from a donor, obtaining stem cells from a patient, and culturing the K-cells in the presence of the stem cells under conditions such that the stem cells differentiate into stem cell-derived K-cells (SCDKC). An amount of the SCDKC is introduced into the patient sufficient to cause a lowering of the patient's blood glucose level after ingestion of food.

A method for the ex vivo cultivation of oral mucosal epithelial progenitor cells and oral mucosal epithelial cells includes: subjecting an oral mucosal tissue to an enzymatic digestion treatment with collagenase, so as to obtain cell aggregates which include oral mucosal epithelial progenitor cells and oral mucosal epithelial cells; cultivating the cell aggregates with an amniotic membrane in a serum-free platelet lysate-containing medium in the absence of feeder cells, so that the cell aggregates are adhered onto the amniotic membrane; and subsequently cultivating the cell aggregates adhered on the amniotic membrane in a serum-free proliferation-facilitating medium in the absence of feeder cells.

The invention provides methods and compositions that improve the success of organ transplantation. The methods and compositions are directed to exposing a desired organ to stem cells prior to, during, and/or after transplantation. In one embodiment, the stem cells reduce the deleterious effects of ischemia on an organ designated to be harvested for transplantation or that has been harvested for transplantation. In another embodiment in which an organ designated for transplantation is perfused ex vivo, the method involves reducing ischemic reperfusion injury by perfusing the organ with a medium that contains stem cells.

Various embodiments of the invention provide methods of treating diabetes and other glucose regulation disorders. In one embodiment, the method comprises removing L-cells from a donor, obtaining stem cells from a patient, and culturing the L-cells in the presence of the stem cells under conditions such that the stem cells differentiate into stem cell-derived L-cells (SCDLC). An amount of the SCDLC is introduced into the patient sufficient to cause a lowering of the patient's blood glucose level after ingestion of food. In another embodiment, the method comprises removing K-cells from a donor, obtaining stem cells from a patient, and culturing the K-cells in the presence of the stem cells under conditions such that the stem cells differentiate into stem cell-derived K-cells (SCDKC). An amount of the SCDKC is introduced into the patient sufficient to cause a lowering of the patient's blood glucose level after ingestion of food.

Various embodiments of the invention provide methods of treating diabetes and other glucose regulation disorders. In one embodiment, the method comprises removing L-cells from a donor, obtaining stem cells from a patient, and culturing the L-cells in the presence of the stem cells under conditions such that the stem cells differentiate into stem cell-derived L-cells (SCDLC). An amount of the SCDLC is introduced into the patient sufficient to cause a lowering of the patient's blood glucose level after ingestion of food. In another embodiment, the method comprises removing K-cells from a donor, obtaining stem cells from a patient, and culturing the K-cells in the presence of the stem cells under conditions such that the stem cells differentiate into stem cell-derived K-cells (SCDKC). An amount of the SCDKC is introduced into the patient sufficient to cause a lowering of the patient's blood glucose level after ingestion of food.