A sphere-like cell aggregate according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a core part containing neural retina; and a covering part continuously or discontinuously covering at least a portion of a surface of the core part.

The present invention provides the use of selected thermogelling polymers for the purpose of growing tumor spheroids. The invention provides a thermogelling platform comprising a synthetic polymer which, when seeded with cancer cells, induces the cells to grow into a natural spheroidal pattern forming a tumor spheroid. After accomplishing this in about 3-10 days, the gel washes away, leaving behind the spheroids.

The invention relates to a method for reducing the viscosity of a nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogel, wherein the method comprises mixing a nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogel with an aqueous growth medium for cell culture, wherein the aqueous growth medium contains one or more salts and optionally one or more sugars, using shearing forces so that a homogeneous dispersion is formed. The invention further relates to a dispersion comprising a nanofibrillar cellulose hydrogel and an aqueous growth medium for cell culture and to a use of an aqueous growth medium.

The disclosure relates generally to a system, device, and method for cell culturing. In certain embodiments, the system, device, and method may be used to encapsulate single cells in embryo-like, core-shell microcapsules. In some embodiments, microfluidic devices may be utilized to fabricate core-shell hydrogel microcapsules, which may be used to encapsulate individual cells. In some embodiments, the disclosed system and method are utilized to encapsulate cancer stem cells. The disclosed system, device, and method can be used to isolate and culture CSCs, to facilitate the understanding of cancer biology and etiology, and to advance the development of effective CSC-targeted cancer therapies.

The present invention relates to inter alia, methods for the generation and maintenance of Mesoderm-derived ISL1+ Multipotent Progenitors (IMPs), the production of a number of pluripotent cells including and epicardial pluripotent cells (EPCs) and using these cells to produce endothelial cells, cardiomyocytes, smooth muscle cells, vascular cells and other cells and related methods as otherwise disclosed herein. The invention also relates to compositions comprising a population of cells.

The invention discloses a method of manufacturing polysaccharide beads, comprising the steps of: i) providing a water phase comprising an aqueous solution of a polysaccharide; ii) providing an oil phase comprising at least one water-immiscible organic solvent and at least one oil-soluble emulsifier; iii) emulsifying the water phase in the oil phase to form a water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion; and iv) inducing solidification of the water phase in the w/o emulsion, wherein the organic solvent is an aliphatic or alicyclic ketone or ether.

Methods for obtaining multipotent Apelin receptor-positive lateral plate mesoderm cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and mesangioblasts under serum-free conditions are disclosed.

The present invention provides a technique which enables organization of bone marrow cells by a simple method in a short period of time.

A method for preparing a bone marrow cell aggregate, comprising adding a liquid containing a bone marrow cell population to a medium containing a swellable material and culturing the bone marrow cell population in the presence of the swellable material. A method for reassembling a bone marrow tissue, comprising adding a liquid containing a bone marrow cell population to a medium containing a swellable material and culturing the bone marrow cell population in the presence of the swellable material.

According to common knowledge in the art, it has been considered difficult to reorganize once disintegrated bone marrow tissue without changing the cell composition (that is, without adding any adherent cell or extracellular matrix which will work as a “connecting material (binder)”). Indeed, it was impossible to aggregate bone marrow cells by conventional methods. As a result of its achievement, the present invention changes such conventional thought and results and provides a major breakthrough technique pertaining to 3D culture of bone marrow cells. It has also been confirmed that culture of a bone marrow-like tissue reassembled by the method of the present could be continued up to day 14 in the MC medium.

The invention provides for compositions and methods for making and using adipose-derived stem cells for treating non-human mammals for various medical conditions.

A method of simulating a biological response of a cellular system may include removing at least some DNA-containing material from a vascular plant tissue to produce a vascularized cellulose scaffold, seeding the vascularized cellulose scaffold with cultured biological cells, growing cultured biological cells on the vascularized cellulose scaffold to produce the vascularized biological system, subjecting the vascularized biological system to an external stimulus, and measuring a response of the vascularized biological system. In some embodiments, the removing step comprises submerging the plant tissue in a fluid comprising supercritical CO2, peracetic acid and ethanol.