Systems and methods generally useful in medicine, cellular biology, nanotechnology, and cell culturing are discussed. In particular, at least in some embodiments, systems and methods for magnetic guidance and patterning of cells and materials are discussed. Some specific applications of these systems and methods may include levitated culturing of cells away from a surface, making and manipulating patterns of levitated cells, and patterning culturing of cells on a surface. Specifically, a method of culturing cells is presented. The method may comprise providing a plurality of cells, providing a magnetic field, and levitating at least some of the plurality of cells in the magnetic field, wherein the plurality of cells comprise magnetic nanoparticles. The method may also comprise maintaining the levitation for a time sufficient to permit cell growth to form an assembly.

The present invention generally relates to compositions and methods of delivering living cells in a dry mode, wherein the compositions include a surface layer disposed on the outer surface of the composition that is permeable to carbon dioxide and oxygen. The compositions may be used to deliver living cells to a delivery point without the use of expensive refrigerants such as dry ice or liquid nitrogen.

Provided is a composition capable of promoting osteogenic differentiation of stem cells, comprising, as active ingredients, a bone and cartilage progenitor cell culture solution and a multilayer graphene film, which promotes the differentiation of stem cells into specific cells, and thus is expected to be variously applicable in the in vivo/in vitro stem cell application fields.

Provided are a photodegradable hydrogel in which cells can be embedded in the photodegradable gel without causing cytotoxicity when the cells are embedded in the photodegradable gel by allowing the cells to coexist at the time of preparation of the photodegradable gel, and which contains a protein as one of the main components; a culture device using the same; a method for forming tissue; and a method for separating cells. A photodegradable hydrogel is obtained by condensation of an alkyne group contained in a cyclooctyne ring or an azacyclooctyne ring of the following compound A with an azido group of the following compound B. (Compound A) A compound is a photocleavable crosslinker which contains a main chain having a linear type- or a branched type- (of three or more branches) polyethylene glycol structure, a photodegradable nitrobenzyl group disposed at both terminals or a branched terminal of the main chain, and a group having a cyclooctyne ring or an azacyclooctyne ring disposed at a terminal side of the nitrobenzyl group. (Compound B) A compound is an azide-modified protein in which a main chain is a protein and at least some of an amino group present at lysine and arginine side chains of the main chain and an amino group present at a terminal of the main chain are modified with the azido group.

Described is a heart valve leaflet manufactured from a mesh material. The mesh material may have an ability to capture circulatory/stationary/migratory cells of the body to become biologically active. In some cases, the mesh material is coated with a bioactive material, such as a molecule that binds to a cell adhesion molecule (CAM), a growth factor, an extracellular matrix molecule, a subendothelial extracellular matrix molecule or a peptide. The mesh has a stiffness that is comparable to a native heart valve leaflet, such that it functionally mimics a native heart valve.

Systems and methods generally useful in medicine, cellular biology, nanotechnology, and cell culturing are discussed. In particular, at least in some embodiments, systems and methods for magnetic guidance and patterning of cells and materials are discussed. Some specific applications of these systems and methods may include levitated culturing of cells away from a surface, making and manipulating patterns of levitated cells, and patterning culturing of cells on a surface. Specifically, a method of culturing cells is presented. The method may comprise providing a plurality of cells, providing a magnetic field, and levitating at least some of the plurality of cells in the magnetic field, wherein the plurality of cells comprise magnetic nanoparticles. The method may also comprise maintaining the levitation for a time sufficient to permit cell growth to form an assembly.

Self-aligned fibrous scaffolds are disclosed. The scaffolds are capable of automechanoinduction of cell cultures and methods to induce authomechanoinduction in cancer cells and stem cells are disclosed as well.

The invention concerns a novel silica sol material and its use for producing bioabsorbable and biodegradable silica gel materials having improved properties. The materials such as for example fibers, fibrous nonwoven webs, powders, monoliths and/or coatings are used, for example, in medical technology and/or human medicine, in particular for wound treatment.

A pharmaceutical composition includes a silicified cell or fraction thereof, a cationic layer disposed on at least a portion of the surface of the silicified cell or fraction thereof, and an immunomodulatory moiety bound to at least a portion of the cationic layer. Alternatively, the pharmaceutical composition includes a silicified cell or fraction thereof, a cationic layer disposed on at least a portion of the surface of the silicified cell or fraction thereof, an anionic layer disposed on at least a portion of the cationic layer, and an immunomodulatory moiety bound to at least a portion of the anionic layer.

The present invention provides a method for the preparation of organoids that allow the 3D culture or co-culture of cells in an environment that closely mimics the natural in vivo situation. The organoids are prepared from liquid pearls. They may be used in the variety of applications including drug testing and screening and personalized medicine.