The present invention provides culture mediums that are useful for the expression of ADAMTS proteins, such as ADAMTS13. Methods for the expression and purification of ADAMTS proteins are also provided. In some embodiments, the mediums and methods of the invention are useful for the expression of ADAMTS proteins having high specific activities. Also provided are ADAMTS, e.g., ADAMTS13, protein compositions with high specific activities, which are expressed and purified according to the methods provided herein.

Cells derived from postpartum umbilicus and placenta are disclosed. Pharmaceutical compositions, devices and methods for the regeneration or repair of neural tissue using the postpartum-derived cells are also disclosed.

Methods for generating high-yield, high-purity epicardial cells are described. Wnt/-catenin signaling is first activated in human cardiac progenitor cells, by, for example, inhibiting Gsk-3 to induce differentiation into epicardial cells. Methods for long-term in vitro maintenance of human cardiac progenitor cell-derived epicardial cells and method comprising chemically defined, xeno-free, and albumin-free culture conditions are also provided.

The present application relates to methods for inducing the differentiation of stem cells into chondrocyte progenitors and chondrocytes in vitro. The methods also relate to the production of in vitro-engineered cartilage and bone and related biomaterials as well as methods of drug-screening and modeling the bone- and cartilage-related diseases and disorders.

Pharmaceutical compositions and methods of producing them are described. The pharmaceutical composition may include (A) a follistatin protein or a variant thereof, and (B) a fetuin A protein or a fragment or variant thereof, wherein (B) is capable of binding to TGF-, and wherein the total amount of (A) and (B) is greater than 10% of total proteins in the composition. Methods of preparing a secretome composition may include culturing stem cells in a protein-free media comprising trehalose, harvesting supernatant from the sample and replacing the supernatant with a fresh protein-free media comprising trehalose, and combining the harvested supernatant to prepare the secretome composition.

The present invention relates to a low-serum medium composition for culturing Vero cells, and a method for culturing Vero cells and a method for producing a virus, both using the same.