The present disclosure provides a method of deriving and maintaining a midbrain-like organoid in culture, comprising (a) culturing pluripotent stem cells to obtain neuronal lineage embryoid bodies; (b) culturing the neuronal lineage embryoid bodies from (a) to obtain midbrain regionalized tissues; (c) embedding and culturing the midbrain regionalized tissues from (b) in an extracellular matrix to obtain neuroepithelial tissues; and (c) culturing the neuroepithelial tissues from (c) to obtain a midbrain-like organoid. Also disclosed herein are culture media suitable for deriving and maintaining neuronal lineage embryoid bodies comprising (a) TGF- Inhibitor and/or SMAD2/3 inhibitors; and (b) WNT-signaling activator; culture media suitable for deriving and maintaining midbrain regionalized tissues comprising (a) TGF- Inhibitor and/or SMAD2/3 inhibitors; (b) WNT-signaling activator; (c) hedgehog signaling protein; and (d) fibroblast growth factor; culture media suitable for deriving and maintaining neuroepithelial tissues comprising (a) hedgehog signaling protein; and (b) fibroblast growth factor and culture media suitable for deriving and maintaining a midbrain-like organoid comprising (a) neurotrophin factor; (b) ascorbic acid; and (c) activator of cAMP-dependent pathway.

Compositions-of-matter containing a plurality of edible microstructures (e.g., microparticles) made of a plant protein extract, composites containing such compositions-of-matter and cells adhered to the microstructures, and processes of preparing same, are provided. Also provided are food products containing these composites and methods of preparing same.

The present invention provides destructible, digestible, or dissolvable microwell arrays, such as hydrogel microwell arrays, which are useful for segregating, culturing, and analyzing biological samples such as cells and mixtures of cells.

The present invention relates to compositions comprising a polymeric matrix or a gel containing functional enzymes capable of re-creating under culture conditions the cell microenvironment existing in vivo. The present invention also relates to devices for cell cultures comprising such compositions, in particular hydrogel and the use thereof to control the chemical microenvironment of a cell culture or mimic physiological or pathological conditions of the in vivo cells. The compositions and the devices described herein could be also used in vitro for evaluating the therapeutic effect of a compound on a determined cell line or on primary cells.

A method for forming microspheres containing bioactive material, comprising dissolving a polymer matrix, such as albumin or beta-cyclodextrin, in an aqueous medium in a first vessel; contacting the dissolved polymer matrix with a crosslinking agent, such as glutaraldehyde, to crosslink the polymer matrix and the crosslinking agent; neutralizing with sodium bisulfate any excess crosslinking agent remaining after crosslinking is substantially complete; solubilizing in a second vessel a bioactive material in an aqueous solution; mixing the solubilized bioactive material together with the neutralized crosslinked polymer matrix in solution to form a mixture; and, spray drying the mixture to produce nanospheres, whereby substantial bioactivity of the biomaterial is retained upon cellular uptake.

The present disclosure relates to a nanofiber structure for cell culture, a method for manufacturing the structure, and a cell analysis device including the nanofiber structure for cell culture. The structure includes a cell culture layer made of nanofibers; and a spacer protruding upward from a surface of the cell culture layer, wherein the spacer divides a region on the cell culture layer into at least two culturing regions, wherein the spacer is made of the same nanofibers as the cell culture layer and thus has a cell migration channel defined therein.

The present invention is directed to gels, cryogels and other polymer scaffolds, solid surfaces, aggregates, films and coatings comprising a soluble chemically modified cross-linked chitosan useful for 3D cell and organoid bioprinting and other uses in biology, medicine, bioanalytics and environmental sciences and methods of preparation thereof.

A method for forming microspheres containing bioactive material, comprising dissolving a polymer matrix, such as albumin or beta-cyclodextrin, in an aqueous medium in a first vessel; contacting the dissolved polymer matrix with a crosslinking agent, such as glutaraldehyde, to crosslink the polymer matrix and the crosslinking agent; neutralizing with sodium bisulfate any excess crosslinking agent remaining after crosslinking is substantially complete; solubilizing in a second vessel a bioactive material in an aqueous solution; mixing the solubilized bioactive material together with the neutralized crosslinked polymer matrix in solution to form a mixture; and, spray drying the mixture to produce nanospheres, whereby substantial bioactivity of the biomaterial is retained upon cellular uptake.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a sheet-like cell structure having excellent strength and shape-maintaining performance, and a sheet-like cell structure having excellent strength and shape-maintaining performance. According to the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a sheet-like cell structure, including: a step of adding a biocompatible macromolecular block, a cell, and a liquid medium onto a culture support body having a plurality of recessed portions on a culture surface, and immersing the biocompatible macromolecular block and the cell in uppermost portions of the recessed portions; and a step of culturing the cell to obtain a sheet-like cell structure.

Pharmaceutical compositions for promoting hair follicle regeneration and their respective preparation methods are provided to overcome the ineffectiveness and low efficiency of the conventional hair follicle regeneration techniques. The methods for preparing the pharmaceutical compositions for promoting hair follicle regeneration include seeding dermal papilla cells and adipocyte lineage cells on a culture material in order for the dermal papilla cells and the adipocyte lineage cells to jointly assemble cell spheres. The pharmaceutical compositions can effectively enhance the effect and efficiency of hair follicle regeneration and thereby promote the regeneration of hair follicles.