Provided is a means for appropriately controlling the size of cell aggregates without relying on mechanical/physical means. The present invention relates to a cell aggregation suppressor for use in suspension culture of cells, comprising an agonist of thrombin receptor. The present invention also relates to a method for producing cell aggregates, comprising a step of culturing cells in suspension in a culture medium comprising an agonist of thrombin receptor.

A composite shell particle including a composite shell layer is provided. The composite shell layer is a hollow shell, wherein the composite shell layer includes a porous biological layer and a metallic layer. The porous biological layer is composed of an organic substance including a cell wall or a cell membrane of a bacteria or algae. The metallic layer is crosslinked with the porous biological layer to form the composite shell layer. The metallic layer includes at least one metal selected from the group consisting of iron, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, zirconium, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, and calcium, and/or includes at least one selected form the group consisting of metal chelates, metal oxides, metal sulfides, metal chlorides, metal selenides, metal acid salt compounds, and metal carbonate compounds. A method of manufacturing the composite shell particle, and a biological material including the composite shell particle and the applications thereof are also provided.

The present disclosure is directed to a method for cultivating a Bordetella species, comprising: cultivating a Bordetella species under aerobic conditions in a liquid culture medium; and maintaining a pH of the liquid culture medium by using a strong acid, such as nitric acid, or using a first and second acid, wherein the first acid is an inorganic acid that dissociates essentially completely in water, such as nitric acid, hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid, and wherein the second acid is an inorganic acid having an acid dissociation constant (pKa) of greater than 1, such as phosphoric acid. Methods for increasing the yield of Bordetella finbria agglutinogen 2 and fimbrial agglutinogen 3 (FIM2/3) in a supernatant fraction from a Bordetella culture are also provided.

A composite shell particle including a composite shell layer is provided. The composite shell layer is a hollow shell, wherein the composite shell layer includes a porous biological layer and a metallic layer. The porous biological layer is composed of an organic substance including a cell wall or a cell membrane of a bacteria or algae. The metallic layer is crosslinked with the porous biological layer to form the composite shell layer. The metallic layer includes at least one metal selected from the group consisting of iron, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, zirconium, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, and calcium, and/or includes at least one selected form the group consisting of metal chelates, metal oxides, metal sulfides, metal chlorides, metal selenides, metal acid salt compounds, and metal carbonate compounds. A method of manufacturing the composite shell particle, and a biological material including the composite shell particle and the applications thereof are also provided.

A composite shell particle including a composite shell layer is provided. The composite shell layer is a hollow shell, wherein the composite shell layer includes a porous biological layer and a metallic layer. The porous biological layer is composed of an organic substance including a cell wall or a cell membrane of a bacteria or algae. The metallic layer is crosslinked with the porous biological layer to form the composite shell layer. The metallic layer includes at least one metal selected from the group consisting of iron, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, zirconium, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, and calcium, and/or includes at least one selected form the group consisting of metal chelates, metal oxides, metal sulfides, metal chlorides, metal selenides, metal acid salt compounds, and metal carbonate compounds. A method of manufacturing the composite shell particle, and a biological material including the composite shell particle and the applications thereof are also provided.

The present application relates to methods of activating a NK cells in vitro, ex vivo, and/or in vivo by an osteoclast cell (OC) and/or a dendritic cell, and methods of treating disease using these activated NK cells.

Disclosed herein is a Chlamydia-activated B cell (CAB) platform. Also disclosed is a method of enhancing a population of B cells, comprising exposing said B cells to Chlamydia spp. under conditions suitable to enhance the population of B cells, such that expansion and differentiation of said B cells takes place, and said B cells are exposed or crosslinked to an antigen. Also disclosed are methods of producing said CABs, and treating a subject in need thereof with said CABs.

The present invention it was determined that dendritic cells could be derived from various sources including peripheral blood monocytes in the presence of only GM-CSF without other cytokines if the monocytes were not activated. By preventing activation, such as by preventing binding of the cells to the surface of the culture vessel, the monocytes do not require the presence of additional cytokines, such as IL-4 or IL-13, to prevent differentiation into a non-dendritic cell lineage. The immature DCs generated and maintained in this manner were CD14 and expressed high levels of CD1a. Upon maturation by contact with an agent such as, for example, BCG and IFN, the cells were determined to express surface molecules typical of mature dendritic cells purified by prior methods and cultured in the presence of GM-CSF and IL-4. The mature dendritic cells produced from monocytes without activation and cultured in GM-CSF alone are suitable for use in dendritic cell-based immunotherapy methods, such as for use in the treatment of disease, including cancer.

Disclosed herein is a Chlamydia-activated B cell (CAB) platform. Also disclosed is a method of enhancing a population of B cells, comprising exposing said B cells to Chlamydia spp. under conditions suitable to enhance the population of B cells, such that expansion and differentiation of said B cells takes place, and said B cells are exposed or crosslinked to an antigen. Also disclosed are methods of producing said CABs, and treating a subject in need thereof with said CABs.

This invention relates to a medium system and a method for ex vivo expansion of natural killer (NK) cells. This invention directly cultures Ficoll-separated PBMC by using immobilized anti-CD137 and RetroNectin, and uses OK-432 as a biological effector under the co-existence of GM-CSF, IL-4, IL-2, IL-15, and IL-21 for ex vivo activation and proliferation of NK cells, creating an efficient method for ex vivo expansion of NK cells. The expression rate of NK cells CD3-CD16+/CD56+ prepared by the method is as high as 92.5% or more. After 14 days of culture, NK cells can be expanded 1000 to 2000 times and have strong in vitro cytotoxic activity.