The present invention provides a method for preparing a cell culture medium comprising a mixture of blood products from two or more donors, comprising the steps of: a) providing at least a first blood product from a first donor; b) measuring the concentration of at least one quality factor in the first blood product; c) comparing the measured concentration of a quality factor to a concentration range predefined for the quality factor; d) selecting the first blood product for the cell culture medium if the concentration measured for the quality factor is in the predefined range and optionally converting the first selected blood product into a first processed blood product or else unselecting the first blood product.

The present invention relates to an accelerated method to generate high yields of type-1 polarizing mRNA loaded dendritic cells for use in immunotherapy, and in particular for use in cancer vaccination.

A corneal tissue culture system and a corneal tissue culture method for increasing corneal endothelial cell density, healing of damaged corneal endothelial cell, and stimulating corneal endothelial cell proliferation are disclosed. The corneal tissue culture system comprises a tissue culture medium and a tissue culture dish to reduce metabolic pressure and reduce corneal tissue edema.

Provided are novel serum-free culture media which comprise basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), transforming growth factor beta-3 and ascorbic acid at a concentration of at least about 50 microgram/ml; ascorbic acid at a concentration range of about 400-600 microgram/ml, bFGF at a concentration range of about 50-200 ng/ml, xeno-free serum replacement and a lipid mixture; the IL6RIL6 chimera at a concentration range of about 50-200 picogram per milliliter (pg/ml); or leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) at a concentration of at least 2000 units/ml; cell cultures comprising same with pluripotent stem cells such as human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, and methods of using same for expanding pluripotent stem cells in an undifferentiated state using two-dimensional or three-dimensional culture systems; and methods of expanding iPS cells in a suspension culture devoid of substrate adherence and cell encapsulation.

The present invention pertains to a method for standardizing the sensitivity of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS)-derived neurons to a neurotoxin polypeptide, comprising the steps of: a) cultivating different batches of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons in a cell culture medium comprising GT1b for at least 3 hours; b) contacting the different batches of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons of step a) with a neurotoxin polypeptide; c) cultivating the different batches of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons of step b) for at least 24 hours in the presence of GT1b under conditions which allow for the neurotoxin polypeptide to exert its biological activity, thereby standardizing the sensitivity of the induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons to a neurotoxin polypeptide. The invention further relates to a method for the generation of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons having a standardized sensitivity to a neurotoxin polypeptide, comprising the steps of: a) providing different batches of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons; b) cultivating the different batches of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons of step a) in a cell culture medium comprising GT1b for at least 3 hours, thereby standardizing the sensitivity of the induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons to a neurotoxin polypeptide. In addition, encompassed by the present invention is a method for determining the biological activity of a neurotoxin polypeptide, comprising the steps of: a) cultivating induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons in a cell culture medium comprising GT1b for at least 3 hours; b) contacting the induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons of step a) with a neurotoxin polypeptide; c) cultivating the induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons of step b) for at least 24 hours in the presence of GT1b under conditions which allow for the neurotoxin polypeptide to exert its biological activity; and d) determining the biological activity of the neurotoxin polypeptide in said cells. Finally, the invention relates to the use of GT1b for a) standardizing the sensitivity of different batches of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons to a neurotoxin polypeptide; or b) reducing the variability of the sensitivity of different batches of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons to a neurotoxin polypeptide.

The present invention relates to directed differentiation and maturation of mammalian hepatocytes, such as human hepatocytes. The hepatocyte obtained in accordance with the present invention show a phenotype which is more similar to that of primary hepatocytes than previously shown. In particular, the present invention relates to exposure of mammalian hepatocytes, such as human hepatocytes, to at least one maturation factor selected from the group consisting of Src kinase inhibitors, vitamin D including precursors, metabolites and analogs thereof, hypoxia inducing compounds, sphingosine and sphingosine derivatives, activators of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), platelet-activating factor (PAF), PKC inhibitors, and combinations thereof.

The present invention discloses formulation of a serum-free medium used for human pluripotent stem cells, which comprises the following raw materials: inorganic salt components, organic components, amino acids and amino acid salts, energy substances and metabolic intermediates, vitamins and antioxidants, proteins and polypeptides, trace elements and chromogenic substances; while the culture process comprises the following steps: selecting a basic formulation, performing combination screening, identifying and evaluating results, and testing a new formulation of culture; and proportioning according to the following methods: adding aforesaid raw materials into 950 ml of water for injection, stirring gently until dissolved, and finally adding 2.438 g of sodium bicarbonate, and stirring gently until dissolved, and then adding 1 liter of water for injection, adjusting the pH to the desired value with 1 mol/L sodium hydroxide solution or 1 mol/L hydrochloric acid solution, finally filtering sterilized with 0.1 m diameter filter under positive pressure, and storing the medium solution in dark place at 2 C.-8 C., the invention solves the problem of high cost of domestic import of serum-free formulation.

Provided are methods of increasing metabolic maturation of an immature hepatocyte, by contacting an immature hepatocyte which expresses alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and albumin with an effective amount of a fatty acid or a small molecule selected from the group consisting of: an amphipathic carboxylic acid Thiazolidinedione (TZD), WY-14643 (Pirinixic Acid), GW409544, GW6471, Leukotriene B4, GW 7647, Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid, Perfluorooctanoic Acid, CP-775146, CP-865520, UNII-999KY5ZIGB, and Gemfibrozil. Also provided are isolated hepatocytes and uses thereof.

A new cell line and an antibody for determining the activity of botulinum toxin are disclosed. Also disclosed is a method of determining the activity of botulinum toxin using the cell line and/or the antibody.

The invention provides bioresorbable polymeric stents made from polymer blends which include polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). In particular, the invention provides stents having a stent body which comprises a polymer blend comprising: (a) from 5 to 40 wt. % of a first component which is a PHA copolymer comprising two or more different medium chain length hydroxyalkanoate monomer units; and (b) from 60 to 95 wt. % of a second component which is either a PHA homopolymer containing a short chain length hydroxyalkanoate monomer unit, or a polylactide (PLA). The invention further relates to polymer blends comprising (a) and (b).