Disclosed herein are methods and compositions for generating cultures and isolated cell populations containing preplacodal ectoderms cells, otic placode cells, and inner ear sensory hair cells derived from pluripotent cells by modulating TGF, BMP, and FGF signaling pathways under defined culture conditions. Also described are methods for obtaining non-otic placodal tissues from pluripotent stem cells. Methods for identifying agents that induce or enhance differentiation and generation of hair cells are also disclosed. Methods for identifying cytoprotective agents for hair cells are also described.

The present invention is directed towards compositions and methods of culturing cancer cells, with the methods comprising culturing cancer cells in the presence a cell culture medium while inhibiting the activity of Rho kinase (ROCK) in the cells during culturing.

Provided herein are compositions, systems, kits, and methods for generating hPSC derived quiescent hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and employing them in a liver model. In certain embodiments, methods and compositions are provided for maintaining the quiescent HSCs in a quiescent state for a time period.

Disclosed are methods of inducing formation of a gastric cells and/or a gastric tissue, such as in the form of a gastric organoid. The formation of gastric cells and/or tissue may be carried out by the activating and/or inhibiting of one or more signaling pathways within a precursor cell. Also disclosed are methods for using the disclosed gastric cells, gastric tissues, and/or gastric organoids derived from precursor cells.

A method is provided for uniformly differentiating a pluripotent stem cell into a neural stem cell, with elimination of variation among cell strains or clones of the pluripotent stem cell and without formation of an embryoid body, regardless of the origin of the pluripotent stem cell

The invention relates generally to methods of treating spasticity, rigidity, or muscular hyperactivity conditions by introducing a portion of an expanded population of neural stem cells into an area of a recipient spinal cord.

Disclosed are a method for culturing pancreatic progenitor cells derived from pluripotent stem cells, the method comprising step (A) of three-dimensionally culturing pancreatic progenitor cells derived from pluripotent stem cells in a medium containing a factor belonging to the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family and/or a factor belonging to the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family, and (2) a Wnt agonist; a method for producing islet cells from pancreatic progenitor cells derived from pluripotent stem cells, the method comprising step (E) of inducing the differentiation of pancreatic progenitor cells cultured by the above method into islet cells; and a method for cryopreserving pancreatic progenitor cells derived from pluripotent stem cells, the method comprising step (F) of freezing pancreatic progenitor cells cultured by the above method.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods utilizing hair follicle derived Non-Bulbar Dermal Sheath cells for use in the treatment or prevention of the tendon injuries.

Embodiments disclosed here provide engineered modified hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), artificially prostaglandin E2 (PGE.sub.2)-stimulated HSCs, compositions comprising these HSCs, methods of using these modified HSCs for treating autoimmune diseases and disorders and for suppressing the immune system. In particular, the engineered modified HSCs or PGE.sub.2-stimulated HSCs express the surface marker, programmed cell death-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1).

Disclosed herein are methods for the in vitro differentiation of a precursor cell into definitive endoderm, which may further be differentiated into a human colonic organoid (HCO), via modulation of signaling pathways. Further disclosed are HCOs and methods of using HCOs, which may be used, for example, for the HCOs may be used to determine the efficacy and/or toxicity of a potential therapeutic agent for a disease selected from colitis, colon cancer, polyposis syndromes, and/or irritable bowel syndrome.