The invention relates to truncated growth factors and variants thereof. The invention also relates to methods of making and using the truncated growth factors.

The present invention relates to methods of generating and expanding hitman embryonic stem cell derived mesenchymal-like stem/stromal cells. These hES-MSCs are characterized at least in part by the low level of expression of IL-6. These cells are useful for the prevention and treatment of T cell related autoimmune disease, especially multiple sclerosis, as well as for delivering agents across the blood-brain barrier and the blood-spinal cord barrier. Also provided is a method of selecting clinical grade hES-MSC and a method of modifying MSC to produced a MSC with specific biomarker profile. The modified MSC are useful for treatment of various diseases.

The present invention provides a method with which it is possible to directly induce nervous system cells efficiently and in a short amount of time. Because the method is easy to scale up and is not affected by the characteristics or background of the somatic cells used as material, the method enables the stable supply of nervous system cells. The nervous system cells obtained by the method are useful in various fields of research and healthcare.

The present invention relates to methods for differentiating stem cells into ventral midbrain dopaminergic progenitor cells, and into mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons, and compositions, kits, and uses thereof.

Provided is a method for freezing a cell aggregate including neural cells. provided is a method for freezing a cell aggregate including neural cells and having a three-dimensional structure, which comprises following steps (1) and (2): (1) contacting a cell aggregate including neural cells and having a three-dimensional structure with a preservation solution at 0° C. to 30° C. prior to freezing to prepare a preservation solution-soaked cell aggregate; and (2) cooling the preservation solution-soaked cell aggregate obtained in step (1) from a temperature at least about 5° C. higher than the freezing point of the preservation solution to a temperature about 5° C. lower than the freezing point at an average cooling speed of 2 to 7° C./min to freeze the cell aggregate.

This document relates to bioengineering and involves bioengineered thymus organoids and related humanized animal models. The thymus organoids and animal models have various commercial and clinical uses, including generating humanized antibodies, making antigen-specific human T cells, inducing transplantation tolerance, rejuvenating thymus functions, and modeling human diseases.

Provided are methods for producing population of cells enriched for cells exhibiting sinoatrial node like characteristics. The cells can be produced from human pluripotent cells. Also provided are methods for using the SAN-like cells for identifying agents that can mitigate drug-induced cardiac toxicity. Also provided is a method for mitigating drug induced cardiotoxicity comprising administering to a subject an effective amount of physcion or a derivative thereof.

A production method for an organoid, the production method including a step of culturing adult stem cells or a cell tissue piece including adult stem cells in a medium containing a chimeric Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) that includes a partial region of FGF1 and a partial region of FGF2; an organoid produced by the production method; a medium including a chimeric FGF and having a content of chimeric FGF of 50 ng/mL or less; and an evaluation method for a test substance are provided, and according to the chimeric FGF, a content of growth factors included in a medium can be reduced.

A medium composition, containing a basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) at not less than 150 ng/mL is useful for culturing cells.

Methods of generating and expanding human hemangio-colony forming cells in vitro and methods of expanding and using such cells are disclosed. The methods permit the production of large numbers of hemangio-colony forming cells as well as derivative cells, such as hematopoietic and endothelial cells. The cells obtained by the methods disclosed may be used for a variety of research, clinical, and therapeutic applications.