A method is provided for producing a live cartilaginous material useful for implantation into a patient. A method of treating a patient comprising implanting a cartilaginous material prepared according to the provided method in an anatomical site in a patient also is provided.

The first method to cause a culture of human and other primate stem cells to directly and uniformly differentiate into a committed cell lineage is disclosed. Treatment of primate stem cells with a single protein trophoblast induction factor causes the cells to transform into human trophoblast cells, the precursor cells of the placenta. Several protein factors including bone morphogenic protein 4 (BMP4), BMP2, BMP7, and growth and differentiation factor 5 can serve as trophoblast-inducting factors.

The present invention provides methods to promote the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells. In particular, the present invention provides methods to produce a population of cells, wherein greater than 10% of the cells in the population express markers characteristic of single hormonal pancreatic beta cells.

Cell populations of intestinal midgut endoderm cells and methods of generating the cells expressing markers characteristic of intestinal endoderm lineage are disclosed. Methods of treating conditions such as diabetes are also disclosed.

The present invention is drawn, in part, to biocompatible compositions comprising a biocompatible polymer matrix and conditioned cell medium comprising i) a cell culture medium and ii) one or more agents synthesized by and secreted from one or more cells cultured in the cell culture medium, as well as therapeutic uses thereof, particularly in modulating bone and/or gum tissue growth.

The present invention provides methods of preparing aggregated pluripotent stem cell clusters for differentiation.

The present invention provides methods of preparing aggregated pluripotent stem cell clusters for differentiation. Specifically, the invention discloses methods of differentiating pluripotent cells into beta cell, cardiac cell and neuronal cell lineages using suspension clustering. The methods involve preparing the aggregated cell clusters followed by differentiation of these clusters.

The present invention provides methods to promote the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells. In particular, the present invention provides methods to produce a population of cells, wherein greater than 10% of the cells in the population express markers characteristic of single hormonal pancreatic beta cells.

The present invention provides methods to promote differentiation of pluripotent stem cells to pancreatic endoderm cells expressing PDX1, NKX6.1, and HB9. In particular, the methods encompass culturing Stage 4 to Stage 6 cells with a thyroid hormone (e.g. T3), an ALK5 inhibitor, or both.

The present invention relates to methods for encapsulating pancreatic progenitors in a biocompatible semi-permeable encapsulating device. The present invention also relates to production of human insulin in a mammal in response to glucose stimulation.