An in vitro method of producing a population of muscle stem cells comprising co-culturing pluripotent stem cells, embryonic fibroblast cells and endothelial cells in 3D cell culture.

In related-art methods of differentiating pluripotent stem cells into a desired cell type, there has not been established a differentiation induction method using human ES/iPS cells and being stable and highly efficient. A method of inducing differentiation into a desired cell type within a short period of time and with high efficiency by attenuating differentiation resistance of a pluripotent stem cell to generate a pluripotent stem cell that actively proceeds to a differentiated cell type has been found, and thus the present invention has been completed.

The present invention provides a method for producing a regenerated T cell population via iPS cells, wherein the said regenerated T cell population maintains the repertoire diversity of a T cell population before initialization and has specificity to an antigen. The method comprises steps of (1) bringing a T cell population into contact with one or more tumor-related antigens, or a biological tissue containing one or more tumor-related antigens, or a crushed material or a lysate thereof, and enriching the T cell population having specificity to the tumor-related antigens, (2) initializing the enriched T cell population to iPS cells, and culturing while maintaining the repertoire diversity of the enriched T cell population, and (3) producing a regenerated T cell population from the cultured iPS cells.

A composition and a method for generating clinically safe NK cells derived from non-fully differentiated stem cells are provided. The non-fully differentiated stem cells are co-cultured with endogenous NK cells isolated from adipocyte-containing tissue to generate a high percentage of clinically safe NK cells, where anti-tumor activity of the clinically safe NK cells in vitro is similar to that of endogenous NK cells. Optimized Production of the clinically safe autologous NK cells from stem cells provides platform for treating cancer patients by applying an effective adoptive immunotherapy ranging from the early to terminal stages.

Described herein is a microphysiological system for models of disease. Specifically, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and iPSC-derived cells, including those obtained from disease patients, are seeded onto microfluidic “chip” devices to study cellular development and disease pathogenesis. Herein, neurodegenerative disease modeling, including Parkinson's Disease (PD) is shown to reproduce key PD pathology in a vascularized human model that contains neurons relating to PD pathology. Such compositions and methods are used for research for PD biomarkers, patient screening for PD risk assessment, and therapeutic discovery and testing. A panel of biomarkers are generated through analysis of living PD-chips by neural activity, whole transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic analysis, and functional enzyme tests of media and tissue. Introducing therapeutics through a vasculature channel, coupled with blood brain barrier penetration studies can be assessed for efficacy in the human neural cells present in the PD-Chip.

Embodiments of the disclosure include methods and compositions for disc repair in a mammal using conditioned media (and/or one or more components therefrom) from fibroblasts that have been de-differentiated and cultured optionally with one or more particular conditions and/or compositions. In specific cases, fibroblasts that have been de-differentiated are exposed to hypoxia, histone deacetylase inhibitor(s), DNA methyltransferase inhibitor(s), or a combination thereof, and the conditioned media therefrom is provided in an effective amount to an individual.

Embodiments of the disclosure include methods and compositions for disc repair in a mammal using conditioned media (and/or one or more components therefrom) from fibroblasts that have been de-differentiated and cultured optionally with one or more particular conditions and/or compositions. In specific cases, fibroblasts that have been de-differentiated are exposed to hypoxia, histone deacetylase inhibitor(s), DNA methyltransferase inhibitor(s), or a combination thereof, and the conditioned media therefrom is provided in an effective amount to an individual.

The present disclosure provides compositions and methods employing stem cell-derived amnion tissue. In some embodiments, compositions (e.g., scaffolds and devices) and methods of generating amnion-like tissues from hPSCs are provided. In some embodiments, uses of such cells for research, compound screening and analysis, and therapeutics are provided.

The present invention discloses novel markers for cell types found in breastmilk. Moreover, genes associated with various stages of lactation are identified and in vitro alveolar-like organoid models derived from breastmilk cells are disclosed. Methods of screening modulating agents with the alveolar-like organoid model are also provided. Therapeutic targets for controlling differentiation, proliferation, maintenance and/or function of the cell types disclosed herein, as well as novel cell types and methods of quantitating, detecting and isolating the cell types are disclosed.

The present invention relates to a process for the in vitro production of erythroid progenitors comprising contacting hematopoietic stem cells, genetically modified or not, with a defined cell culture medium comprising a glucocorticoid hormone and an autophagy inducer.