The present invention provides new protease-resistant polypeptides, as well as compositions and methods for treating, ameliorating or preventing conditions related to joint damage, including acute joint injury and arthritis.

The present invention provides new protease resistant polypeptides, as well as compositions and methods for treating, ameliorating or preventing conditions related to joint damage, including acute joint injury and arthritis.

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).

A method of manufacturing a multilayered cell sheet of neural crest stem cells (NCSCs), includes: (1) isolating and culturing NCSCs from peripheral nerves; (2) embedding the cultured NCSCs in a hydrogel; (3) culturing the hydrogel comprising the NCSCs embedded therein under stressed culture conditions in which a physical support is applied; and (4) culturing the resulting hydrogel of step (3) under non-stressed culture conditions in which a physical support is removed.

The present invention is in the area of pluripotent stem cells and more particularly deals with a method to differentiate a vascular network from stem cells.

Embodiments disclosed here provide engineered modified hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), artificially prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)-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 PGE2-stimulated HSCs express the surface marker, programmed cell death-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1).

The present invention provides new protease resistant polypeptides, as well as compositions and methods for treating, ameliorating or preventing conditions related to joint damage, including acute joint injury and arthritis.

Described are methods for differentiating mammalian pluripotent stem cells towards a population of cells that can self-organize into vascular networks in vitro when harvested cells of the present invention are embedded into a hydrophilic matrix such as a hydrogel.

A method for vascular regeneration comprises delivering endothelial cells to a lung scaffold, delivering perivascular cells to the lung scaffold, and providing a multiphase culture program to the scaffold. The multiphase culture program comprises a first phase including delivering an angiogenic medium, e.g., having 40-100 ng/ml of pro-angiogenic factors, and a second phase including delivering a stabilization medium, e.g., having 0.5-2% of serum and 1-20 ng/ml of angiogenic factors.

The present invention provides new protease resistant polypeptides, as well as compositions and methods for treating, ameliorating or preventing conditions related to joint damage, including acute joint injury and arthritis.