Provided herein are methods and compositions related to the use of human monocyte-derived microglia-like (MDMi) cells. In some embodiments, the methods and compositions provided herein relate to the use of MDMi cells to assess the effect of a clinical intervention on a human subject (e.g., a subject with a neurodegenerative disorder). In some embodiments, the methods and compositions provided herein relate to the use of MDMi cells to stratify human subjects into subgroup populations (e.g., populations that are likely to respond to a clinical intervention or are unlikely to respond to a clinical intervention). In some embodiments, the methods and compositions provided herein relate to the use of MDMi cells to identify candidate neurodegenerative disease biomarkers. In certain embodiments, the methods and compositions provided herein relate to the use of MDMi cells to screen potential therapeutic agents to identify candidate agents for the treatment of a neurodegenerative disease.

Methods for producing therapeutic T cells from umbilical cord blood are provided. Methods for treating immune-related diseases or conditions (e.g. autoimmune diseases, transplant rejection, cancer) using umbilical cord blood derived therapeutic T cells are also provided. Compositions comprising umbilical cord blood derived therapeutic T cells are also provided.

The present disclosure provides a method of deriving hepatic macrophages from stem cell-derived monocytes, through the use of hepatic macrophage culture medium comprising a hepatocyte conditioned medium and a basal medium, wherein the conditioned medium is obtained through culturing hepatocytes in a serum-free culture medium in the presence of an extracellular matrix. Also disclosed is a kit used for such a method and hepatic macrophages derived using the method and uses thereof.

The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for the treatment of demyelinating conditions. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to compositions including DUOC-01 cell product, derived from banked human umbilical cord blood (CB) mononuclear cells; methods for preparing such compositions; and methods of using such compositions for treatment of demyelinating conditions.

A method for producing natural killer cells is disclosed. The method comprises isolating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a blood sample; isolating at least one of CD56+ cells and/or CD3/CD56+ cells from the PBMCs; and co-culturing the at least one of CD56+ cells and/or CD3/CD56+ cells with a combination of feeder cells in the presence of a cytokine. A composition for treating cancer is also disclosed. The composition comprises the CD56+ natural killer cells produced by the disclosed method and a cytokine.

The invention relates to progenitor cells of mesodermal lineage and their use in therapy.

The method of generating multipotent stem cells is a method for producing and/or expanding multipotent stem cells by delivering at least one reprogramming protein into somatic cells. The at least one reprogramming protein includes a Master Regulator (MR) protein, which may be BAZ2B, ZBTB20, ZMAT1, CNOT8, KLF12, DMTF1, HBP1, or FLI1. The bromodomain protein BAZ2B, in particular, was identified by first generating bi-species heterokaryons by fusing Tcf7l1.sup.?/? murine embryonic stem cells (ESCs) with human B-cell lymphocytes. Reprogramming of the B-cell nuclei to a multipotent state was tracked by human mRNA transcript profiling at multiple timepoints. Interrogation of a human B-cell regulatory network with gene expression signatures collected from such reprogramming time series identified eight candidate Master Regulator proteins, which were validated in human cord blood-derived hematopoietic progenitor and lineage-committed cells.

A cell culture cartridge is provided comprising a plurality of zones geometrically configured to provide for symmetrical fluid flow with each of the plurality of zones to avoid dead areas in flow within each of the plurality of zones. In certain embodiments, at least eight inlets are provided, with an inlet positioned at each corner of the cell culture cartridge. In certain embodiments, a shared outlet is positioned on a top surface of the cell culture cartridge.

A method of treating neurodegenerative diseases or disorders, especially Parkinson's disease and a method of inducing neural stem cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The induced neural stem cells can express neural stem cell-related genes and differentiate into neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. The dopaminergic precursors derived from the induced neural stem cells are transplanted into the striatum of the PD mouse models without any sign of tumorigenesis, thereby improving the behaviors of the PD mouse models and slowing down the progression of Parkinson's disease.

Methods are disclosed for reprogramming a somatic cell, including an adherent cell and a cell in suspension, into an induced pluripotent stem comprising expressing exogenous Sox-2, exogenous Klf-4, exogenous Oct3/4 from DNA that has not integrated into the genome of the somatic cell, suppressing p53 activity within the somatic cell, and exposing the somatic cell to reprogramming-assistance factors comprising an exogenous Alk-5 inhibitor, an exogenous histone deacetylase inhibitor, and an exogenous activator of glycolysis. Compositions and kits for use in such methods are also disclosed as are cells made by such a method.