The present invention relates to directed differentiation and maturation of hepatocyte-like cells. In particular, the present invention relates to exposure of hepatocyte-like cells to an activator of a retinoic acid responsive receptor, such as retinoic acid (RA), optionally in combination with an inhibitor of GSK-3 (Glycogen synthase kinase 3) or activator of Wnt signalling and/or with the overlay of the cells with one or more components characteristic of the mammalian extracellular matrix (matrix overlay). The present invention also relates to exposure of hepatocyte-like cells to an activator of a retinoic acid responsive receptor, such as retinoic acid (RA), optionally in combination with an inhibitor of a cycline dependent kinase (CDK) and/or with the overlay of the cells with one or more components characteristic of the mammalian extracellular matrix (matrix overlay). The hepatocyte-like cells obtained in accordance with the present invention show a phenotype which is more similar to that of primary hepatocytes than previously shown.

Disclosed herein are cell cultures comprising dorsal and/or ventral PDX1-positive foregut endoderm cells and methods of producing the same. Also disclosed herein are cell populations comprising substantially purified dorsal and/or ventral PDX1-positive foregut endoderm cells as well as methods for enriching, isolating and purifying dorsal and/or ventral PDX1-positive foregut endoderm cells from other cell types. Methods of identifying differentiation factors capable of promoting the differentiation of dorsal and/or ventral PDX1-positive foregut endoderm cells, are also disclosed.

Described herein are methods relating to the differentiation of stem cells to more differentiated phenotypes, e.g. to terminally differentiated cell types and/or precursors thereof. In some embodiments, the methods relate to contacting the stem cells with differentiation factors and halting the cell cycle, thereby increasing the rate of differentiation.

Isolated CDCA1-derived epitope peptides having Th1 cell inducibility are disclosed herein. Such peptides can be recognized by MHC class II molecules and induce Th1 cells. In preferred embodiments, such a peptide of the present invention can promiscuously bind to MHC class II molecules and induce CDCA1-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in addition to Th1 cells. Such peptides are thus suitable for use in enhancing immune response in a subject, and accordingly find use in cancer immunotherapy, in particular, as cancer vaccines. Also disclosed herein are polynucleotides that encode any of the aforementioned peptides, APCs and Th1 cells induced by such peptides and methods of induction associated therewith. Pharmaceutical compositions that comprise any of the aforementioned components as active ingredients find use in the treatment and/or prevention of cancers or tumors.

The present invention provides novel methods for improving the efficiency of artificial activation of unfertilized mammalian oocytes by reducing the intracellular concentration of Zn.sup.2+ in the oocyte. The methods of the invention may additionally comprise a preceding step of increasing the intracellular concentration of Ca.sup.2+ in the oocyte prior to reduction of the intracellular Zn.sup.2+ concentration. The invention further provides unfertilized oocytes activated by the disclosed methods and viable mammalian animals produced from unfertilized oocytes activated by the disclosed methods.

The present invention relates to directed differentiation and maturation of mammalian hepatocytes, such as human hepatocytes. The hepatocyte obtained in accordance with the present invention show a phenotype which is more similar to that of primary hepatocytes than previously shown. In particular, the present invention relates to exposure of mammalian hepatocytes, such as human hepatocytes, to at least one maturation factor selected from the group consisting of Src kinase inhibitors, vitamin D including precursors, metabolites and analogs thereof, hypoxia inducing compounds, sphingosine and sphingosine derivatives, activators of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), platelet-activating factor (PAF), PKC inhibitors, and combinations thereof.

Methods for using cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors to enhance growth and self-renewal of progenitor cells, in vitro and in vivo.

Disclosed herein are compositions and formulations containing a TATk-CDKL5 fusion protein. Also disclosed are methods of producing a TATk-CDKL5 fusion protein from vectors containing a TATk-CDKL5 cDNA and methods of transducing cells with the vectors containing a TATk-CDKL5 cDNA and the TATk-CDKL5 fusion protein

Aspects of the disclosure relate to methods and synthetic regulatory systems for more efficient nuclease-mediated homology-directed repair (HDR). In particular, provided herein are methods for more efficient in vivo and in vitro HDR-based gene editing where the methods comprise introducing into a cell a synthetic regulatory system comprising Cas nuclease, guide RNAs (gRNAs) having various lengths and configured to target distinct nucleotide sequences for simultaneous transcriptional repression (or activation) and genome editing via double stranded break and use of a donor nucleic acid molecule as a template for repair.

The disclosure relates to methods, cells, and compositions for preparing cell populations and compositions for adoptive cell therapy. In particular, provided herein are methods for expansion and proliferation of primary immune cells including T cell populations.