This invention relates, inter alia, to compositions of low serum or serum free media and methods for the expansion of T cell populations and methods for using such populations of cells. In some aspects, the invention relates to compositions and methods for the selective expansion of T cell subpopulations.

A process of using a fish plasma component in a nutrient medium for cell culture includes obtaining a fish that is a progeny of domesticated broodstock that are reared under consistent and reproducible conditions. Blood is obtained from the fish, and plasma is separated from the blood. One or more specific components of the plasma are then extracted, and cells are cultured in a nutrient medium using the one or more extracted plasma components, and none of any remainder of the plasma. The plasma and/or the plasma components is/are tested for presence and/or level of endotoxin. Extracting the one or more specific components of the plasma, and/or culturing the cells is only performed if the testing indicates an endotoxin level below a predetermined threshold. The cells cultured using the extracted one or more plasma components are other than fish cells.

A medium-based method for inducing specific differentiation of dental stem cells into dopaminergic neurons is provided. The method includes seeding the dental stem cells at a concentration of 5000 cells/cm.sup.2, following 24-hour incubation, introducing the cells into first part neurogenic induction medium and continuing the medium application for 4 days; subsequently, introducing the cells into the second part neurogenic induction medium and continuing the medium application for 2 days; and terminating the differentiation at the end of 6 days. The objective of the present invention is to develop cellular applications for use in treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and medications related to the said diseases.

The present invention provides a novel repair agent for damaged tissue that brings about a notably high effect of repairing damaged tissue, as compared with conventional repair agents for damaged tissue, and a method for producing such a repair agent. A method for producing a repair agent for damaged tissue of the present invention includes the step of culturing mesenchymal stem cells in a serum-free medium at an oxygen concentration of less than 5%.

A medium for stem cells according to the present invention contains at least one of carboxymethyl cellulose and polyvinylpyrrolidone as a water-soluble polymer. The content of carboxymethyl cellulose in the medium is preferably such that the final concentration thereof is 0.001 μg/mL to 1 mg/mL. The content of polyvinylpyrrolidone in the medium is preferably such that the final concentration thereof is 0.05 μg/mL to 2 mg/mL.

Provided is a pre-conditioned mesenchymal stem cell (MSC), an exosome derived therefrom, and a cell-protective composition including the pre-conditioned MSC or the exosome. Also provided is a method for preparing the pre-conditioned MSC by contacting an MSC with an effective amount of ginkgolide A. Still provided is a method for promoting recovery or reducing death of damaged nerve cells, including administering to the damaged nerve cells a composition including the pre-conditioned MSC or the exosome.

The present invention discloses a serum-free medium for full suspension culture of MDCK cells and a preparation method of the serum-free medium. The serum-free medium for full suspension culture of the MDCK cells comprises basic metabolic nutrients, nucleotide, vitamins, inorganic salts, a shear force protective agent, a cell clustering resisting agent, a pH buffer agent, a pH indicator, an influenza virus proliferation accelerant and other additives. The preparation method of the serum-free medium for the full suspension culture of the MDCK cells comprises the following steps: 1) preparing a mixed solution: dissolving and mixing raw materials; and 2) regulating pH: regulating the pH of the mixed solution to 6.3 to 6.7, and setting a constant volume to obtain the serum-free medium for the full suspension culture of the MDCK cells. The medium supports the high-density full-suspension culture of the MDCK single cells, greatly shortens a time for educating the MDCK cells from adherent cells into the serum-free full suspension cells, and is applicable to the mass production of biological products, and particularly veterinary biological products.

The present disclosure provides methods for producing bioengineered tissue along with an apparatus and other relevant compositions employed in generation thereof.

Described herein are methods for the preparation of stable semi-mature tolerogenic dendritic cells and compositions comprising such stable semi-mature tolerogenic dendritic cells. The stable semi-mature tolerogenic dendritic cells described herein and compositions thereof can be used for the establishment of immune tolerance when treating an autoimmune disease, graft rejection and/or graft-versus-host disease.

Described herein are methods and compositions for use in improving a vascular barrier of endothelial cells. The methods may include the use of barrier agonist compounds and improved techniques for culturing endothelial cells. The improved methods and compositions for culturing endothelial cells may include at least one or more of the following: an adenylyl cyclase activator; an activator of Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor internalization; a direct or indirect inducer of tight junction protein expression, and a direct or indirect inducer of adherens junction protein expression.