A structure for culturing cells includes growth medium regions on a surface of the structure. Each of the growth medium regions includes a growth medium surface configured to receive and promote growth in a cell that is being cultured. The structure includes a non-growth medium. The non-growth medium includes a non-growth medium surface configured to receive the cell that is being cultured.

A structure for culturing cells includes growth medium regions on a surface of the structure. Each of the growth medium regions includes a growth medium surface configured to receive and promote growth in a cell that is being cultured. The structure includes a non-growth medium. The non-growth medium includes a non-growth medium surface configured to receive the cell that is being cultured.

Provided are methods and materials for assaying known and candidate therapeutics for inotropic cardiac effects in one or more in vitro assay formats comprising preloaded cardiac tissues and/or organoids.

The present disclosure relates to a culture medium having an agar gel forming by at least one plant growth nutrient, agar powder and water, wherein the agar gel is 100 wt %. A culture medium manufacturing method, a culture medium structure and a culture medium structure usage method are also illustrated in the present disclosure. The culture medium structure has a culture medium of the above culture medium, a seeding board for receiving the culture medium layer, wherein the seeding board has a hollow body which has a top hole, a bottom hole opposite to the top hole and a top base disposed on a top peripheral of the hollow body, and the hollow body and the top base are integrally formed. Via the culture medium of the solid agar gel having the plant growth nutrient, growth health and quality of crops are enhanced.

Provided herein are methods for directing differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into a three-dimensional multilayered skin composition comprising an epidermal layer, a dermal layer, and a plurality of cells capable of forming a functional hair follicle. Also provided herein are three-dimensional, multilayered engineered skin compositions and methods of using the same for drug screening, for screening compounds for effects on hair growth, and for other applications.

Systems and methods for the dynamic co-culturing of two cell populations are provided. The system includes a barrier configured to physically separate a stimulator cell population from a responder cell population disposed within a container. The barrier is permeable to the secreted factors of at least one of the cell populations. The responder cell population can thereby be altered by exposure to the secreted factors to produce a population of reprogrammed cells that includes biomolecules (e.g., nucleic acids) originating from the stimulator cell population and/or that exhibits one or more additional or modified functional activities than a parental population of the reprogrammed cells.

Provided herein is a cell macroencapsulation device composed of hydrogel in a 3D conformation that optimizes encapsulated cell viability and function when transplanted into a vascularized tissue space. The hydrogel macroencapsulation device is intended to reduce or eliminate immune response to the cell graft, while allowing exchange of encapsulated cell-secreted products, such as insulin. Also described herein is an injection-mold and fabrication process to generate the hydrogel macroencapsulation devices for use in the clinic.

Provided herein are methods for directing differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into a three-dimensional multilayered skin composition comprising an epidermal layer, a dermal layer, and a plurality of cells capable of forming a functional hair follicle. Also provided herein are three-dimensional, multilayered engineered skin compositions and methods of using the same for drug screening, for screening compounds for effects on hair growth, and for other applications.

The invention provides a medium additive, medium composition and a culture method and the like, capable of efficiently culturing cells or tissues in a well dispersed state, and further, permitting cell image analysis of the cells or tissues. The medium additive or medium composition contains agar, which preferably is a low molecular weight agar having a weight average molecular weight of 10,000-60,000. Using same, cells or tissues can be cultured in a well-dispersed state in a medium, and a proliferation promoting effect for the cells or tissues can also be obtained. In addition, the cells can be cultured in any of a floating state and a precipitated state by adjusting the concentration of the aforementioned agar.

A polymer hydrogel having a polymer formed by the crosslinking reaction of a polymeric unit A according to formula (I), ##STR00001##
with a crosslinking unit B according to formula (II) ##STR00002##
and water, wherein n=100-10,000, preferable 250-2500, more preferable 500-1500; m=independently 2-10, preferably 3 or 4; FG is a functional moiety that can be covalently coupled to the complementary functional moiety F1 or F2 of the crosslinking unit (B); k=0.01-0.05; h=0, 1 or 2; the spacer is an organic moiety, having a main chain comprising at least two functional moieties F1 and F2, wherein the length of the crosslinker in the extended conformation as determined by molecular modeling (including spacer and functional groups F1 and F2) is between 2.5 and 12 nm, or wherein the length is between 20 and 80 atoms.