Provided herein are methods of producing ? cells and precursors thereof utilizing a Wnt signaling inhibitor or PKC activator, or both. Also provided herein are in vitro cultures comprising said cells, methods of treating a subject with a disease characterized by high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period of time by administering said cells, and devices for encapsulating said cells.

The present invention relates to a perforated semi-permeable device comprising, human pancreatic endocrine cells or human PDX1-positive pancreatic endoderm cells contained within a semi-permeable membrane comprising a synthetic material, wherein the synthetic material is polysulfone (PSF), nano-fiber mats, polyimide, tetrafluoroethylene/polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), polyacrylonitrile, polyethersulfone, acrylic resin, cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate, polyamide, or hydroxylpropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), a cell encapsulation chamber, and at least one seal that is within the cell encapsulation chamber.

Provided are a pharmaceutical composition for regenerating skin, a pharmaceutical composition for improving wrinkles, a pharmaceutical composition for treating wounds, a quasi-drug composition for regenerating skin, a quasi-drug composition for improving wrinkles, a quasi-drug composition for treating wounds, a cosmetic composition for regenerating skin, a cosmetic composition for improving wrinkles, a cosmetic composition for improving wounds, and a medium composition for culturing fibroblasts, each composition including GDF11 or a human-derived adult stem cell culture medium including the same, a method of culturing fibroblasts by using the medium composition, and a method of preparing GDF11 by culturing stem cells. The GDF11 provided in the present invention may be included in a human-derived adult stem cell culture medium to exhibit an effect of promoting fibroblast proliferation, and may thereby be widely applied to the development of a variety of products for skin regeneration, wrinkle improvement, or wound treatment.

A method of banking stem cells by harvesting stem cells from an individual and culturing the harvested stem cells to generate a P0 culture. The method includes storing a desired amount of P0 stem cells via cryopreservation and subculturing a portion of the P0 stem cells to generate a P1 culture. A desired amount of P1 stems cells can then be stored via cryopreservation and further generations can be stored as desired.

The present disclosure relates to methods for generating sacral neural crest lineage cells and enteric neurons. Also provided are sacral neural crest lineage cells and enteric neurons generated by the presently disclosed methods and compositions comprising such cells. The present disclosure further provides uses of the sacral neural crest lineage cells and enteric neurons for preventing, modeling, and/or treating of enteric nervous system disorders.

The present invention provides a therapeutic and/or prophylactic medicament for FGFR3 diseases, the medicament comprising a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor as an active ingredient; a method for treating and/or preventing FGFR3 diseases, the method comprising administering a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor; use of a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor in the production of a therapeutic and/or prophylactic medicament for FGFR3 diseases; and a method for screening for a therapeutic and/or prophylactic drug for FGFR3 diseases.

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.

Provided is a method for producing chondrocytes from pluripotent stem cells, the method comprising the steps of: (i) inducing pluripotent stem cells to differentiate into mesodermal cells in adherent culture, (ii) culturing the cells obtained by step (i) in adherent culture in a medium containing one or more substances selected from the group consisting of BMP2, TGF and GDF5, and (iii) culturing the cells obtained by step (ii) in suspension culture in a medium containing one or more substances selected from the group consisting of BMP2, TGF and GDF5. Also provided is a pharmaceutical product comprising the chondrocytes obtained by the method.

The present invention provides a therapeutic and/or prophylactic medicament for FGFR3 diseases, the medicament comprising a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor as an active ingredient; a method for treating and/or preventing FGFR3 diseases, the method comprising administering a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor; use of a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor in the production of a therapeutic and/or prophylactic medicament for FGFR3 diseases; and a method for screening for a therapeutic and/or prophylactic drug for FGFR3 diseases.

A problem of this invention it to provide a method for differentiate a primordial germ cell into a functional GV stage oocyte by in vitro culture.

This invention relates to a method for differentiating a primordial germ cell into a functional GV stage oocyte by in vitro culture, comprising: (a) a step of producing a secondary follicle by culturing the primordial germ cell and supporting cells adjacent to the primordial germ cells under conditions that eliminate the effects of estrogen or a factor having a similar function to estrogen; (b) a step of partially dissociating cells between a granulosa cell layer and a thecal cell layer, wherein an oocyte, the granulosa cell layer, and the thecal cell layer constitute the produced secondary follicle; and (c) a step of differentiating the oocyte into a functional GV stage oocyte by culturing the oocyte, the granulosa cell layer, and the thecal cell layer that constitute the secondary follicle in a medium containing a high-molecular-weight compound.