Compositions and methods for stimulating T cell expansion and cytotoxicity are described. Therapeutic compositions and methods using expanded and stimulated T cells are described.

A method for preparing an agonist for improving boar sperm motility includes: (1) collecting and infiltrating a testicular tissue of a young boar 3-5 days after born; (2) washing the tissue with PBS; (3) incubating the tissue in a cell culture medium, and centrifuging the cell suspension to remove a supernatant; (4) adding hyaluronidase and collagenase IV followed by shaking, and adding the cell culture medium and centrifuging to remove a supernatant; (5) adding trypsin and deoxyribonuclease followed by shaking, and adding the cell culture medium; (6) filtering the cell suspension by a cell sieve; (7) centrifuging to remove a supernatant, and adding the cell culture medium; (8) culturing and passaging the cells; (9) culturing and storing the cell suspension. The invention has the advantages of good application effect, low cost and simple production process.

The invention relates to an in vitro method of obtaining and culturing primary tumour cells from a tissue sample using an isolation buffer, which includes collagenase II and optionally hyaluronidase and a propagation medium which includes estradiol or EGF. The invention also relates to a kit for obtaining and culturing primary tumour cells.

The present application provides materials and methods for treating hemoglobinopathies. More specifically, the application provides methods for producing progenitor cells that are genetically modified via genome editing to increase the production of fetal hemoglobin (HbF), as well as modified progenitor cells (including, for example, CD34.sup.+ human hematopoietic stem cells) producing increased levels of HbF, and methods of using such cells for treating hemoglobinopathies such as sickle cell anemia and -thalassemia.

The present invention provides for methods, compositions, and kits for producing an induced pluripotent stem cell from a non-pluripotent mammalian cell using a 3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (PDK1) activator or a compound that promotes glycolytic metabolism as well as other small molecules.

Provided is a method for culturing immature oocytes. The method can promote in vitro maturation of the immature oocytes, and specifically comprises using follicular cells and a culture medium for culturing same. The culture medium for culturing the follicular cells contains CNP or variants thereof or analogues thereof and an HDAC (histone deacetylase) inhibitor. Also provided are the in vitro maturation culture medium containing CNP or variants thereof or analogues thereof and the HDAC inhibitor, and related compositions thereof, and the use of the above medium, culture medium and compositions in the promotion of in vitro maturation of the immature oocytes.

There is disclosed an improved, safer and commercially efficient process for developing genetically engineered cells. More specifically, there is disclosed a process comprises introducing a donor DNA construct, a guide RNA, and an RNA-guided nuclease with the host cells to be transfected; and introducing the three components into the host cell. There is further disclosed a donor DNA construct designed for inserting a CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) into a defined genomic site of a host cell. Further, the present disclosure provides a host cell transfected with a CAR that lacks viral vectors that can present a safety concern. The disclosure provides for more efficient and more cost-effective process for engineering T cells to express CAR constructs.

A method for producing hepatocytes from hepatoblasts is provided. The method includes the step of culturing the hepatoblasts in a medium containing a compound selected from the group consisting of pregnenolone and an adrenergic agonist. The hepatoblasts can be obtained by culturing endodermal cells in a medium containing DMSO, and the endodermal cells can be obtained by culturing pluripotent stem cells in a medium containing Activin A and a GSK-3 inhibitor. Accordingly, a method for producing hepatocytes from pluripotent stem cells is also provided by employing the method of the present invention.

The present invention is related to methods and materials for culturing expanding cells in a three-dimensional culture. The material comprises plant-derived anionic nanofibrillar cellulose, wherein the anionic nanofibrillar cellulose is in a form of hydrogel. The invention also provides methods for producing materials and compositions comprising plant-derived anionic nanofibrillar cellulose.

Provided herein is method of treating a skin condition in a subject, comprising isolating cells comprising primary dermal fibroblasts from a skin sample obtained from the subject, and administering the freshly-isolated cells to skin of the subject. Also provided are freshly isolated cell preparations comprising primary dermal fibroblasts and uses thereof.