The present disclosure relates generally to methods and systems of producing enteric neurons from pluripotent stem cells under fully defined conditions. The enteric neural crest cells and enteric neurons produced by the disclosed methods find applications as models of the enteric nervous system, tools for high-throughput screening of potential therapeutics for treatment of enteric neuropathies, and in regenerative medicine.

Non-naturally occurring thermogenic adipocytes are provided. The cells have a distinctive molecular signature, and can be distinguished from predecessor cells such as adipose-derived stem cells as well as other naturally occurring and induced thermogenic cells. Differentiation media that can induce differentiation of ADSC and white adipocytes into thermogenic adipocytes is also provided. Methods of making thermogenic adipocytes, thermogenic adipocytes made according the disclosed methods as well as conditioned media made according a method of incubating the cells in a tissue culture media are also provided. Compositions including thermogenic adipocytes, conditioned media, secreted factor(s), active agents that increase the number or activity of thermogenic adipocytes, or a combination thereof are also disclosed and can be used to treat a variety of diseases and conditions, particularly obesity and metabolic disorders.

The present disclosure relates to a method of expanding myeloid progenitor cells by culturing an initial population of cells in a medium comprising a mixture of cytokines and growth factors that promote growth and expansion of the myeloid progenitor cells. The expanded cell population provides a source of cells as therapeutic treatments for neutropenia and/or thrombocytopenia arising in patients subjected to myeloablative therapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Albumin-supplemented and xenogeneic product-free cell culture media, cell culture media supplements, and cell culture media kits for the support of primary culture of normal non-hematopoietic cells of mesodermal origin suitable for both research and clinical applications.

Disclosed herein are human trophoblast stem (hTS) cells, differentiated cells thereof, derivatives thereof such as cellular mass, and uses thereof. The isolation of hTS cells can express FGF4, FGFR-2, Oct4, Thy-1, and stage-specific embryonic antigens distributed in different compartments of the cell. The hTS cells are able to derive into specific cell phenotypes of the three primitive embryonic layers, produce chimeric reactions in mice, and retain a normal karyotype and telomere length. In the hTS cells, Oct4 and fgfr-2 expressions can be knockdown by bFGF. The hTS cells could apply to human cell differentiation and for gene and cell-based therapies.

The present invention relates to a kit comprising a co-culture microdevice containing peripheral sensory neurons (PSN) and human epidermal keratinocytes (HEK) in a cell culture adapted for both cell types. It is also described a method for screening an active compound using the kit according to the present invention, as well as the use thereof for in vitro dmg tests and for producing a cosmetic product for various dermatological applications, such as atopic dermatitis, sensitive skin, photoaging, wound healing and epidermal thickness in aged skin.

Described herein are cells, cell culture methods, and cell culture media compositions useful for producing and maintaining iPSC-derived cell lines that are of higher purity and maintain cell type integrity better than current iPSC-derived cell lines. Also disclosed are methods of using the described cells and media, such as therapeutic methods of use for the described cells. The described cells include iPSC-derived mesodermal precursor cells (MPC), which itself may differentiate into at least four different cell types. When cultured under appropriate conditions, the mesodermal precursor cells can be used to produce hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), smooth muscle cells (SMC), or unlimited functional endothelial cells (UFEC). One characteristic that makes the described cells desirable is that they can be maintained in culture for a number of days, or passages, without changing phenotype through differentiation.

The present application provides an in-vitro committed differentiation method for inducing human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) into Leydig cells (LCs) by neural crest stem cells (NCSCs). The hiPS-derived LCs is verified by an animal model to have the capacity of regenerating senile or injured LCs, so that a new treatment for supplementing testosterone is provided for patients suffering from hypogonadism, particularly for patients suffering from late-onset hypogonadism (LOH).

Disclosed herein is a different and novel approach to cancer vaccines using a subject's own dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages (Mphs) in combination to present cancer antigens to the immune system. Further disclosed are methods of producing monocyte-derived autologous DCs and Mphs loaded ex vivo with particular whole irradiated cancer cells which generates optimally activated immunostimulatory antigen-presenting cells (APCs) as a superior method for stimulating robust and long-lasting immunity to a particular cancer in vivo as compared with more traditional vaccination methods. Compositions, methods of use and methods for preparation of these DCs and Mphs with cancer cells are also disclosed herein.

A serum-free culture method for human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSC), said method using a step-by-step method to culture hUC-MSC: first using a TME culture medium for culturing for 3-4 hours to promote hUC-MSC adherence, and then switching to a TMD culture medium for rapid amplification.