Methods and compositions for modifying glycans (e.g., glycans expressed on the surface of live cells or cell particles) are provided herein.

A method for culturing cells by which the diameter of cell aggregates can be controlled, and by which a large amount of cells can be obtained, a cell aggregate obtained by the method, a cell aggregation control agent, and a medium containing the cell aggregation control agent, are provided. A method for culturing cells by suspension culture, which method includes an aggregation control step of adding a substance that inhibits a cell adhesion molecule(s) of the cells to a medium to control cell aggregation of the cells, and the like are provided.

Disclosed herein are cell cultures and enriched cell populations of endocrine precursor cells, immature pancreatic hormone-expressing cells and mature pancreatic hormone-expressing cells. Also disclosed herein are methods of producing such cell cultures and cell populations.

This disclosure relates to methods and compositions useful for culturing astrocytes, producing astrocytes, expanding astrocytes, or promoting astrocyte development. In certain embodiments, this disclosure relates to cell culture compositions comprising components disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, this disclosure relates to methods of culturing astrocytes, promoting astrocyte development, or producing astrocytes comprising contacting a cell, stem cell, induced pluripotent cell, astrocyte, pre-astrocyte cell, or tissue with proteins BMP4, TGF-2, TSLP, DKK1, and NLGN1 providing astrocytes.

A conditioned cell culture medium of CD11b.sup.low human macrophages or a biologically active fraction thereof can be prepared by a method that includes (i) culturing a population of human mononuclear cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage for 5-7 days, so as to induce differentiation of the mononuclear cells to macrophages; (ii) incubating the macrophages obtained in (i) with apoptotic cells or in the presence of a pro-resolving lipid mediator to reduce the CD11b expression, thus obtaining a culture of CD11b.sup.low macrophages; and (iii) collecting the conditioned cell culture medium of CD11b.sup.low macrophages. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the CD11b.sup.low macrophages conditioned medium or a culture of CD11b.sup.low macrophages can be used in the treatment of cancer or fibrosis.

The present invention provides systems for cell separation based on cell rolling on surfaces along edges of regions coated with cell adhesion molecules. A variety of designs of coated regions and edges are disclosed.

Methods of treating an adult mammal for an aging-associated impairment are provided. Aspects of the methods include reducing cell surface VCAM-1 activity in the mammal in a manner sufficient to treat the mammal for the aging-associated impairment. A variety of aging-associated impairments may be treated by practice of the methods, which impairments include cognitive impairments.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a cardiac cell culture material which specifically acts on cardiac cells. In addition, another purpose of the present invention is to provide artificial organ material obtained by culturing by using said cardiac cell culture material, and a method for producing the same. Thus, provided is a cardiac cell culture, wherein functional cardiac tissue is favorably built by using a cardiac cell culture material containing VCAM-1.

A method of obtaining a mixture of cells enriched in hepatic progenitors is developed which comprises methods yielding suspensions of a mixture of cell types, and selecting those cells that are classical MHC class I antigen(s) negative and ICAM-1 antigen positive. The weak or dull expression of nonclassical MHC class I antigen(s) can be used for further enrichment of hepatic progenitors. Furthermore, the progenitors can be selected to have a level of side scatter, a measure of granularity or cytoplasmic droplets, that is higher than that in non-parenchymal cells, such as hemopoietic cells, and lower than that in mature parenchymal cells, such as hepatocytes. Furthermore, the progeny of the isolated progenitors can express alpha-fetoprotein and/or albumin and/or CK19. The hepatic progenitors, so isolated, can grow clonally, that is an entire population of progeny can be derived from one cell. The clones of progenitors have a growth pattern in culture of piled-up aggregates or clusters. These methods of isolating the hepatic progenitors are applicable to any vertebrates including human. The hepatic progenitor cell population is expected to be useful for cell therapies, for bioartificial livers, for gene therapies, for vaccine development, and for myriad toxicological, pharmacological, and pharmaceutical programs and investigations.

This application discloses a micro-encapsulation system for immobilizing mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) while sustaining the molecular communication. Thus, the invention provides the use of encapsulated mesenchymal stromal cells in the cellular transplantation therapies. Moreover, the invention provides methods for delivery of encapsulated MSCs into the central nervous system and therapies derived therefrom, such as, the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI) and other inflammatory conditions.