The present invention provides compositions comprising aligned fibers of electrospun PNIPAAm and poly (-caprolactone) (PCL) (denoted PNIPAAm/PCL fibers). The PNIPAAm/PCL compositions enable enhanced growth and detachment of intact anisotropic cell sheets. The compositions do not require chemical modification or resource-intensive techniques, thus saving time and expense, and have the potential to generate tissue-specific, aligned cell sheets for transplant studies.

It is provided a thermoresponsive hydrogel, comprising dendritic polyglycerol units and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-polyethylene glycol units that are covalently bound to each other via a linker, wherein the linker is chosen from the group consisting of a cyclic triazol moiety and a diazacyclohexadiene moiety. This thermoresponsive hydrogel serves as microniche environment for the robust cultivation of cells such as induced pluripotent stem cells. The thermoresponsive hydrogel has a specific thermoreversible degradation capability enabling a controlled release of the expanded cells by only changing the temperature. This dramatically simplifies the process of cell harvesting.

Activated dissolvable supports are provided comprising an ionotropically crosslinked compound comprising a polymer material having at least one repeating unit comprising an ionically crosslinked carboxylic acid group, and an activated hydroxyl group, wherein the hydroxyl group is activated by N,N-disuccinimidyl carbonate (DSC) or N-hydroxy succinimidyl chloroformate in a solvent to form succinimidyl carbonate groups for ligand binding. Methods of forming activated dissolvable supports, culturing cells on activated dissolvable supports, and harvesting cells from dissolvable supports are provided.

The present invention provides compositions comprising aligned fibers of electrospun PNIPAAm and poly (?-caprolactone) (PCL) (denoted PNIPAAm/PCL fibers). The PNIPAAm/PCL compositions enable enhanced growth and detachment of intact anisotropic cell sheets. The compositions do not require chemical modification or resource-intensive techniques, thus saving time and expense, and have the potential to generate tissue-specific, aligned cell sheets for transplant studies.

The present invention relates to a medium for storing, preserving, culturing, and/or differentiating stem cells. The medium employs a synthetic thermo-responsive copolymer, dispersed in an aqueous vehicle, which allows the medium to be readily switched between a non-gelatinous (fluid) form and a gelatinous form by simply adjusting temperature across the gelling temperature of the medium. As such, stem cells can be easily captured within a 3D gel matrix by simply mixing the stem cells with the non-gelatinous/fluid form of the medium and then gelling the medium by adjusting the temperature across the gelling temperature of the medium. The stem cells encapsulated within the gelatinous form of the medium may then be preserved for a significant time period before either using the stem cells directly within the medium (e.g. in therapy, or in culturing, differentiation, and such like), or after their extraction from the medium.

A cell culture support comprising a substrate, and a dual stimuli responsive block copolymer immobilized on the substrate, wherein the dual stimuli responsive block copolymer is both thermoresponsive and pH responsive. A method of culturing cells comprising the cell culture support having a dual stimuli responsive copolymer immobilized on a substrate, wherein the dual stimuli responsive copolymer is thermoresponsive and pH responsive; and growing the cells on the cell culture support. By lowering the temperature, cells are released from the cell culture support.

The present invention provides for methods of isolating a stem cell or cell derived therefrom from a mixture of cells, for example, a mixture of adherent cells in culture. Cell isolation is achieved by the application of selective detachment forces.

The present invention provides methods of isolating a cancer-associated cell, such as a cancer stem cell or tumor initiating cell or a cell derived therefrom, from a mixture of cells, for example, a mixture of adherent cells in culture. Cell isolation is achieved by the application of selective detachment forces.

There is provided an adherent cell-culture support comprising gold nanoparticles on the surface where the cells attach to, wherein the size of the nanoparticles is from 5 nm to 2 microns, the distance between the nanoparticles is from 2 nm to 30 nm and the anisotropy aspect ratio is greater than 1. These substrates have improved properties for allowing the culturing and subsequent detachment of cells, with potential applications in a wide range of fields such as stem cell research and tissue engineering. There is also provided a process for their preparation and several uses thereof.

The present disclosure provides a three-dimensional culture system comprising a biocompatible polymer and a combination of factors in an amount effective to induce differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursors and/or oligodendrocytes from pluripotent stem cells. The present disclosure provides methods of generating oligodendrocyte precursors and/or oligodendrocytes using a three-dimensional culture system of the present disclosure. The present disclosure provides methods to treat neurological diseases and demyelinating diseases.