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. The use of complicated culture steps is a large problem. In addition, there are also large problems in, for example, that the speed of cell differentiation is low, and hence long-period culture is required, and that the differentiation efficiency is low, and hence it is difficult to obtain a sufficient number of required cells. A method of inducing differentiation into a desired cell type, which induces differentiation within a short period of time and with high efficiency by the use of a Sendai virus vector capable of expressing a transcription factor, and as required, the use of a pluripotent stem cell in which an expression amount of a POU5F1 protein has been substantially removed or reduced, is provided.

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. The use of complicated culture steps is a large problem. In addition, there are also large problems in, for example, that the speed of cell differentiation is low, and hence long-period culture is required, and that the differentiation efficiency is low, and hence it is difficult to obtain a sufficient number of required cells. A method of inducing differentiation into a desired cell type, which induces differentiation within a short period of time and with high efficiency by the use of a Sendai virus vector capable of expressing a transcription factor, and as required, the use of a pluripotent stem cell in which an expression amount of a POU5F1 protein has been substantially removed or reduced, is provided.

The present invention pertains to hepatocytes, liver progenitor cells, cholangiocytes, liver sinusoidal endothelial progenitor cells, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, hepatic stellate progenitor cells, hepatic stellate cells, and liver cellular tissue models, as well as to methods for preparing these cells. The present invention also pertains to a cell fraction comprising liver progenitor cells, liver sinusoidal endothelial progenitor cells, or hepatic stellate progenitor cells. The present invention also pertains to a pharmaceutical composition or kit comprising the above-mentioned cells, a liver cellular tissue model, or a cell fraction. The present invention also pertains to: a method for screening liver disease treatment agents; a method for evaluating the hepatotoxicity of drugs, hepatocytes for infectious disease models, and a method for preparing the same; infectious disease model tissues and a method for preparing the same; as well as a method for screening infectious liver disease treatment agents.

This invention relates to the efficient generation of cholangiocyte progenitor (CP) cells. Foregut stem cells (FSCs) are cultured in a hepatic induction medium comprising bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and a TGF signalling inhibitor to produce a population of hepatoblasts. The hepatoblasts are then cultured in a biliary induction medium comprising fibroblast growth factor (FGF), retinoic acid and a TGF ligand to produce a population of cholangiocyte progenitors (CPs). The cholangiocyte progenitors (CPs) may be matured into cholangiocyte-like cells (CLCs) that display functional properties of Common Bile Duct (CBD) cholangiocytes. Methods, kits, cell populations and uses of these cell populations are provided.

The present invention pertains to hepatocytes, liver progenitor cells, cholangiocytes, liver sinusoidal endothelial progenitor cells, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, hepatic stellate progenitor cells, hepatic stellate cells, and liver cellular tissue models, as well as to methods for preparing these cells. The present invention also pertains to a cell fraction comprising liver progenitor cells, liver sinusoidal endothelial progenitor cells, or hepatic stellate progenitor cells. The present invention also pertains to a pharmaceutical composition or kit comprising the above-mentioned cells, a liver cellular tissue model, or a cell fraction. The present invention also pertains to: a method for screening liver disease treatment agents; a method for evaluating the hepatotoxicity of drugs, hepatocytes for infectious disease models, and a method for preparing the same; infectious disease model tissues and a method for preparing the same; as well as a method for screening infectious liver disease treatment agents.

The present invention provides methods for the sequential and temporally-regulated administration of pancreatic transcription factors to induce non-pancreatic cells to transdifferentiate and mature along the pancreatic ?-cell lineage. The present invention also provides methods for identifying, isolating and enriching transdifferentiation predisposed cells and methods for treating a degenerative pancreatic disorder such as diabetes.

Provided is a method for producing myocardial cells from pluripotent stem cells. The myocardial cell production method provided by the present invention includes supplying an artificially produced synthetic peptide to a cell culture that contains pluripotent stem cells. The synthetic peptide is a peptide that contains a myocardial cell differentiation-inducing peptide sequence that induces pluripotent stem cells into myocardial cells. The myocardial cell differentiation-inducing peptide sequence is an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of (i) an amino acid sequence constituting the signal peptide of any protein belonging to the amyloid precursor protein (APP) family, (ii) a partial amino acid sequence of the amino acid sequence according to (i), and (iii) a modified amino acid sequence from the amino acid sequence according to (i) or (ii).

The present invention provides biomatrix scaffolds for industrial scale dispersal.

The present invention relates to a composition for inducing direct conversion from a somatic cell into one or more kinds selected from the group consisting of an induced Hepatic stem cell (iHSC), a hepatocyte, and a cholangiocyte, and a method of direct conversion of a somatic cell into one or more kinds selected from the group consisting of an induced Hepatic stem cell, a hepatocyte, and a cholangiocyte.

Methods, compositions and kits for producing functional neurons, astroctyes, oligodendrocytes and progenitor cells thereof are provided. These methods, compositions and kits find use in producing neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and progenitor cells thereof for transplantation, for experimental evaluation, as a source of lineage- and cell-specific products, and the like, for example for use in treating human disorders of the CNS. Also provided are methods, compositions and kits for screening candidate agents for activity in converting cells into neuronal cells, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and progenitor cells thereof.