This application describes liver stem cells (LSC), and differentiated hepatocytes, cholangiocytes, and 3D cellular structures derived therefrom. Methods for producing LSC and mature, differentiated hepatocytes and cholangiocytes in culture are provided. Also provided are cell culture systems and cell culture media for producing a homogenous population of liver stem cells that remain in an undifferentiated state over multiple passages in culture. The LSC and methods are useful for producing homogenous populations of hepatocytes and cholangiocytes for downstream applications. The LSC can be transplanted into subjects to treat liver diseases.

The present invention is directed towards compositions and methods of culturing cancer cells, with the methods comprising culturing cancer cells in the presence a cell culture medium while inhibiting the activity of Rho kinase (ROCK) in the cells during culturing.

A method is provided for uniformly differentiating a pluripotent stem cell into a neural stem cell, with elimination of variation among cell strains or clones of the pluripotent stem cell and without formation of an embryoid body, regardless of the origin of the pluripotent stem cell

Embodiments of chemically defined cell culture media containing nutrients and growth factors free of any serum for culturing cells such as mesenchymal stem cells and methods of using embodiments of the cell culture medium for expanding cell populations such as mesenchymal stem cells while maintaining a pluripotent phenotype and methods of inducing chondrogenesis and osteogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells by admixing differentiation factors into embodiments of the cell culture medium.

The present invention relates to a preparation obtained from an in vitro culture of undifferentiated cells of Mimosa pudica, as well as to the preparation method thereof; a cosmetic or dermatological composition comprising said preparation; and the uses thereof for the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions, as an antioxidant agent in the treatment of oxidative stress caused by environmental pollution, and as an anti-aging agent.

The present invention provides a method for producing adult oligodendrocyte progenitor cells from proliferative oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, and a pharmaceutical composition having for an active ingredient thereof adult OPC produced according to that method. The method for producing adult OPC of the present invention is characterized by inducing proliferating OPC to differentiate into adult OPC by culturing in the presence of a ligand of a thyroid hormone receptor or retinoic acid receptor in a low oxygen environment. The present invention further provides adult OPC produced according to the production method of the present invention, and a pharmaceutical composition having these adult OPC as an active ingredient thereof.

Compositions and methods for producing major ocular cell types, including retinal ganglion cells, photoreceptors, retinal pigmented epithelium and corneal endothelial cells, from human pluripotent stem cells under defined culture conditions are provided.

In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a substantially albumin-free, chemically defined medium for efficiently supporting stem cell differentiation with significantly improved reproducibility and long-term culture of the differentiated cells. In particular embodiments, provided herein are compositions and methods for promoting atrial and ventricular cardiomyocytes formation from stem cells. The present disclosure further relates to the atrial and ventricular cardiomyocytes formed from the stem cells, and the uses of the cardiomyocytes, e.g., for cardiac injury repairmen, cardiac safety evaluation during drug discovery, and screening for new therapeutics for treating cardiac injuries.

The present invention provides a cell culture medium with which serum-free long-term culture of an epithelial stem cell, an epithelial cancer cell, or a tissue containing at least one thereof can be achieved. The cell culture medium of the present invention includes: a Wnt agonist composed of a complex of Wnt protein and afamin, which is a substance capable of stabilizing the Wnt protein, and R-spondin; and at least one selected from the group consisting of a mitogenic growth factor, a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) inhibitor, a transforming growth factor- (TGF-) inhibitor, and a p38 inhibitor.

The present invention is of methods of establishing and propagating human embryonic stem cell lines using feeder cells-free, xeno-free culture systems and stem cells which are capable of being maintained in an undifferentiated, pluripotent and proliferative state in culture which is free of xeno contaminants and feeder cells.