The present invention relates to a method for growing, rapidly and massively ex vivo, cells collected from a living subject to provide a safe and effective pharmaceutical preparation for biological tissue repair/regeneration. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method for growing cells in a sample collected from a living subject by culturing the cells in a medium containing allogeneic (including autogenic) serum. Preferably the allogeneic serum has been determined as being negative for a serum tumor marker and/or an infectious factors, and the amount of the anticoagulant (e.g., heparin, a heparin derivative, or a salt thereof) added to the collected sample is less than 5 U/mL with respect to the volume of the sample or the amount of the anticoagulant in the medium at the start of culture is less than 0.5 U/mL. The present invention further relates to use of the method.

The present invention relates to a serum-free conditioned medium that solves the drawbacks mentioned in the prior art, as it does not require prior handling of the cells, and it furthermore allows starting from a large population with no additional cost. This medium favors in vitro proliferation and conservation of the pluripotency potential that allows maintaining a state that is undifferentiated with respect to the subpopulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) and in turn does not allow survival of the differentiated cells.

The present invention relates to a method for producing astrocytes comprising obtaining neural progenitor cells from stem cells so as to continuously produce astrocytes with high purity and same traits, followed by two steps of differentiating the neural progenitor cells into the astrocytes, and astrocytes produced therefrom. Since the method of preparing the astrocytes provided in the present invention enables not only production of the astrocytes with high purity and faster production of the astrocytes with same characteristics, but also rapid differentiation of the astrocytes using the neural progenitor cells when necessary, it can be widely used for effectively treating a patient with a disease which requires transplantation of the astrocytes.

Methods for production of platelets from pluripotent stem cells, such as human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are provided. These methods may be performed without forming embryoid bodies or clusters of pluripotent stem cells, and may be performed without the use of stromal inducer cells. Additionally, the yield and/or purity can be greater than has been reported for prior methods of producing platelets from pluripotent stem cells. Also provided are compositions and pharmaceutical preparations comprising platelets, preferably produced from pluripotent stem cells.

Methods, kits, compositions, and systems are provided for culturing pluripotent stem cells to produce populations of cells comprising beta-like cells (e.g., pancreatic lineage, glucose-responsive, and/or insulin-producing). In particular, culture conditions are provided that result in the generation of beta-like cells from a starting culture of human pluripotent stem cells.

The current disclosure describes methods of expanding precursor cells for hematopoietic transplantation in subjects. The methods culture precursor cells in media containing an immobilized high molecular weight LILRB2 agonist or an LILRB2 agonist in combination with a Notch agonist. The expanded cells can be used to treat a variety of hematopoietic disorders.

Methods and compositions for somatic cell proliferation as well as increasing viability of somatic cells are provided. The compositions include heparin binding protein isolated from a medium conditioned by growth of pluripotent stem cells, such as, human embryonic stem cells, human embryonic carcinoma cells. The methods include contacting a somatic cell with a heparin binding protein composition for a sufficient period of time to provide for enhanced proliferation and/or viability of the somatic cell as compared to the absence of the heparin binding protein composition.

The present invention concerns a method for inducing differentiation of neuroectodermal oral stem cells, in particular from FCS osteogenic medium PL osteogenic medium gingival tissue (GSCs), into osteoblasts by culturing them in an optimal serum-free medium supplemented by necessary components such as platelet lysate, growth hormone, heparin, and/or growth factors. The invention method provides osteoblasts for cell therapy, particularly for the restoration of bone defects in maxillary bones.

The present invention provides methods for obtaining mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived cells of chondro-osteoblastic lineage from MSC. The invention also relates to a population of MSC-derived cells of chondro-osteoblastic lineage obtained by the methods, a pharmaceutical formulation comprising the population of MSC-derived cells of chondro-osteoblastic lineage, and their use in the treatment of a subject in need of transplantation of cells of chondro-osteoblastic lineage.

A method is provided for simultaneously producing both nephron progenitor cells and ureteric epithelial progenitor cells including the step of contacting intermediate mesoderm cells with: fibroblast growth factor 9 and/or fibroblast growth factor 20 and optionally, one or more selected from the group consisting of: bone morphogenic protein 7; heparin; a Wnt agonist; retinoic acid; and an RA antagonist. The concentrations of Wnt agonist, retinoic acid and/or RA antagonist may be manipulated to favour the relative production of nephron progenitor cells and ureteric epithelial progenitor cells. The intermediate mesoderm cells are ultimately derived from human pluripotent stem cells via a posterior primitive streak stage. The nephron progenitor cells and ureteric epithelial progenitor cells may have end uses such as for kidney repair and regeneration, bioprinting of kidneys and screening compounds for nephrotoxicity.