An artificial tissue containing pancreatic islet cells, fibroblasts and/or cells capable of differentiating, extracellular matrix, and vascular endothelial cells, in which the fibroblasts and/or the cells capable of differentiating, the extracellular matrix, and the vascular endothelial cells constitute a three-dimensional tissue structure in which a vascular network structure has been formed, and in which the three-dimensional tissue structure contains pancreatic islets constituted by aggregating ten or more of the pancreatic islet cells.

The present invention features assays for co-culturing primary cells while maintaining key biological activities specific to the primary cells. The invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery that compositions and methods for primary cells in a high-throughput co-culture platform, image analysis for distinguishing cells in co-cultures and assays that are suitable for screening of agents in epithelial cells, such as hepatocytes.

The presently disclosed subject matter is to provide a hepatocyte structure, particularly, a hepatocyte structure that mimics nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

A hepatocyte construct including an aggregate containing hepatocytes and adherent cells that are non-hepatocytes, and wherein the hepatocytes include ballooned hepatocytes is provided. Further, a method for producing a hepatocyte construct, comprising: (i) forming an aggregate by aggregating a cell group comprising hepatocytes and adherent cells that are non-hepatocytes; and (ii) culturing the aggregate is provided.

Disclosed is a process of manufacturing cell spheroids using a bioink. More particularly, provided is a method of manufacturing a cell spheroid, the method including extruding a first bioink including an alginate; extruding a second bioink including cells into the extruded first bioink; adding a calcium chloride (CaCl2) solution to the alginate included in the first bioink; and dissolving the second bioink, present in the first bioink, in a cell culture medium to form a cell spheroid from the cells.

Provided are live, artificial, skin substitute products and methods of making and using the same, such as for wound treatment and compound testing, including compound testing for efficacy, toxicity, penetration, irritation and/or metabolism testing of drug candidates or compositions such as cosmetics. Described herein is an artificial mammalian skin substitute product, comprising: (a) optionally, but in some embodiments preferably, a first (hypodermis-like) layer comprising live mammalian adipocytes (e.g., induced pre-adipocytes) in a first hydrogel carrier; (b) a second (dermis-like) layer contacting or directly contacting the first layer and comprising live mammalian fibroblast cells and' live mammalian follicle dermal papilla cells in combination in a second hydrogel carrier; (c) a third (epidermis-like) layer contacting or directly contacting the second layer (i.e., on the opposite side thereof as the first layer, so that the second layer is sandwiched between the first and third layers when the first layer is present), the third layer comprising live mammalian keratinocytes and live mammalian melanocytes in combination in a third hydrogel carrier.

An exemplary composition can be provided which includes an identified substance that induced cell reprogramming. Cells can also be provided having pluripotency having high safety when applied to regenerative medicine, using the composition, and a production method therefor. A cell reprogramming-inducing composition can include at least one 30S ribosome protein selected from the group consisting of 30S ribosome protein S2, 30S ribosome protein S8 and 30S ribosome protein S15 as a substance that reprograms cells derived from a mammalian animal is provided. Further, an exemplary production method for cells having pluripotency from somatic cells using the composition can be provided.

The present invention describes a method for producing de novo papillae comprising the steps of a) providing isolated dermal papilla fibroblasts (DPF) from at least one dermal papilla (DP) from at least one hair follicle, b) providing isolated connective tissue sheath fibroblasts (CTSF) from at least one hair follicle and c) co-culturing the DPF with the CTSF under substantially non-adherent cell culture conditions to form spheroid cell aggregates.

Disclosed is a skin-on-a-chip, which more closely resembles real skin by simulating the repetition of contraction and relaxation due to stretching of skin cells, by embedding a permanent magnet in the skin-on-a-chip. The skin-on-a-chip includes a connector that causes a linear motion in the skin cells of the chip when driven by a linear drive device outside the chip, which provides forward and backward movement, to thereby simulate contraction and relaxation of skin.

The present invention is in the field of the cultivation of biological cells and tissues with organ-like function on a microphysiological scale and provides a method for the microphysiological co-cultivation of 3D organoid tissue and at least one 2D cell layer.

The present invention provides a product comprising plated human hepatocytes on a surface and at least some of the plated hepatocytes are in one or more hepatocyte clusters on feeder cells, which are attached to the surface. A method of preparing plated human hepatocytes is also provided. The preparation method comprises applying human hepatocytes to a surface in the presence of feeder cells, co-culturing the applied hepatocytes with the feeder cells, and forming one or more hepatocyte clusters by the co-cultured hepatocytes on the feeder cells, which are attached to the surface. The plated hepatocytes may be used for various purposes, including the preparation of a hepatitis B virus (HBV) infected hepatocyte culture model and drug testing.