A method of treating acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in a subject in need thereof is provided. The method comprising administering to the subject a composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of astrocytes, thereby treating the ARDS.

Disclosed is a method for culturing urine-derived kidney stem cells, which belongs to the field of cell biology. The method comprises the following steps: isolating cells from the urine, and then culturing the cells with a culture medium of urine-derived kidney stem cells on feeder cells to obtain the urine-derived kidney stem cells, wherein the feeder cells are fibroblasts, and the culture medium of urine-derived kidney stem cells contains 200-300 mL of DMEM medium, 200-300 mL of F12 medium, 20-70 mL of fetal bovine serum, 0.2-2 mM of L-glutamine, 1-14 ng/mL of insulin, 0.1-1 ng/mL of epidermal growth factor, 5-30 μg/mL of adenine, and 2-20 μg/mL of hydrocortisone. By using the method, kidney stem cells with high proliferation capacity and specificity can be obtained and applied, and thus the regenerative outcome of the kidney tissue after injury can be improved.

A method of qualifying whether a cell population is a suitable therapeutic for treating an eye condition is disclosed. The method comprises analyzing co-expression of premelanosome protein (PMEL17) and at least one polypeptide selected from the group consisting of cellular retinaldehyde binding protein (CRALBP), lecithin retinol acyltransferase (LRAT) and sex determining region Y-box 9 (SOX 9) in the population of cells.

A method of producing a three-dimensional cell structure includes producing a mixture of a cell cluster including an endothelial cell, an extracellular matrix component, and a polymer electrolyte, removing a liquid from the mixture to obtain a cell aggregate, and culturing the cell aggregate in a medium to obtain a three-dimensional cell structure with a thickness greater than 150 μm and having a vascular network. The extracellular matrix component is collagen or a collagen analog, and the polymer electrolyte is heparin or a heparin analog having a final concentration of 0.001 mg/mL or higher in the mixture.

Hybrid suspension cultures supplementing soluble extracellular matrix (ECM) for growth of organoids is disclosed. Viable lung organoid from epithelial, endothelial, and fibroblast human stable cell lines in suspension culture are also disclosed.

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.

The subject matter of the present invention is a method for differentiating epithelial stem cells, comprising culturing one or more epithelial stem cells in contact with an extracellular matrix in the presence of an expansion medium, a bovine pituitary extract, a receptor tyrosine kinase ligand, a supernatant of primary fibroblasts and optionally, a Rho kinase inhibitor.

Disclosed are means, methods, and compositions of matter useful for treatment of autoimmunity comprising exposing patient T cells fibroblasts possessing tolerogenic properties. In one embodiment peripheral blood mononuclear cells are cultured in the presence of CD73 selected fibroblasts alone or in the presence of interleukin-2, and/or IL-7, and/or TGF-beta, and/or PGE-2 for a period of time sufficient to endow tolerogenic properties. Said tolerogenic properties include ability to suppress adaptive or innate immune responses. In another embodiment the disclosure provides methods of generating antigen specific immune regulatory cells by culture of T cells together with fibroblasts in the presence of antigen to which specific immune regulation is desired.

The present description provides improved methods for generating thymic epithelial progenitor (TEP) cells from pluripotent stem (PS) cells in vitro. Also provided are isolated invitro cell populations, compositions, and systems comprising TEP cells produced in vitro. Compositions and systems of cell populations of thymic epithelial cells and subpopulations thereof, as well as cells formed during different stages of differentiation of PS cells into thymic epithelial cells and subpopulations thereof are provided.

Compositions and methods are provided for reprogramming dermal fibroblasts to exhibit vasculogenic properties including the ability to stimulate vasculogenesis in vivo. In accordance with one embodiment such compositions are used in conjunction with standard treatment for use on chronic wounds including in diabetic patients.