In certain aspects, the present disclosure provides methods and materials for detection and characterization of retinal ganglion cells in a sample. In accordance with certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides systems and methods for detection of disease or diseased states related to retinal ganglion cells. In some forms the disclosure provides for a method for diagnosing a disease or diseased state related to retinal ganglion cells in a patient, the method comprising the step of detecting in a body fluid of the patient one or more markers associated with the disease or diseased state.

A particulate lyophilized platelet lysate composition suitable for use as a cell culture medium can include growth factors, cytokines, and chemokines released from lysis of source platelets, wherein cellular debris from the source platelets is removed (partially or fully) by filtration. The growth factors, cytokines, and chemokines are lyophilized to form a particulate lyophilized platelet lysate composition.

The presently disclosed subject matter provides for in vitro methods of inducing differentiation of human stem cells into neural crest, cranial placode or non-neuro ectoderm precursors, and cells generated by such methods. The presently disclosed subject matter also provides for uses of such cells for treating neurodegenerative and pituitary disorders.

Genetically modified cells that are compatible with multiple subjects, e.g., universal donor cells, and methods of generating said genetic modified cells are provided herein. The universal donor cells comprise at least one genetic modification within or near at least one gene that encodes one or more MHC-I or MHC-II human leukocyte antigens or component or transcriptional regulator of the MHC-I or MHC-II complex, at least one genetic modification that increases the expression of at least one polynucleotide that encodes a tolerogenic factor, and optionally at least one genetic modification that increases or decreases the expression of at least one gene that encodes a survival factor.

The present disclosure provides, in some embodiments, in vitro brain (miBRAIN) having functional and structural properties of in vivo brain as well as methods of identifying compounds capable of influencing brain function.

A method for simply producing an in vitro genetic disease model cell exhibiting a high pathological reproducibility of a genetic disease and having the same gene background as a control cell is provided. The method for producing an in vitro genetic disease model cell includes inhibiting a responsible gene of a genetic disease of interest from being expressed in a subject differentiated cell derived from a pluripotent stem cell or an adult stem cell.

Described herein are methods, compositions, and kits for directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells, neuromesodermal progenitors, and neural stem cells into biomimetic neural tissues comprising one or more rosette structures. Preferably, the methods provided herein direct differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells, neuromesodermal progenitors, and neural stem cells into biomimetic neural tissues comprising a singular neural rosette structure that is comparable to at least a portion of the developing human neural tube. Also described are engineered neural tissue preparations comprising biomimetic neural tissues comprising a singular rosette structure having regional neural progenitor phenotypes.

Human pluripotent stem cells are differentiated in vitro into oligodendro-spheroids comprising oligodendrocytes for use in analysis, screening programs, and the like.

Provided is a method for inducing differentiation of neural crest cells into neurons of the autonomic nervous system, the method including the step of culturing neural crest cells in the presence of at least one of a BMP signaling pathway activator, an SHH signaling pathway inhibitor, and a Wnt signaling pathway inhibitor.

Human embryonic stem cell (hESC)- and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived clinical-grade corneal endothelial cells (CECs) generation and cryopreservation through the neural crest cell (NCC) lineage using peripheral blood as a donor source and hESCs maximizes the availability of these vital cells for treating the corneal endothelial disease as an alternative to donor corneas for corneal endothelium (CE) transplantations and other applications.