Delivering a payload across a plasma membrane of a cell includes providing a population of cells and contacting the population of cells with a volume of an aqueous solution. The aqueous solution includes the payload and alcohol content greater than 5 percent concentration. The volume of the aqueous solution may be a function of exposed surface area of the population of cells, or may be a function of a number of cells in the population of cells. Related compositions, apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described.

A method for stably amplifying a pluripotent stem cell comprises the following steps: (a) a cell implantation step: implanting pluripotent stem cells directly into a porous scaffold such that the porous scaffold contains 1×10.sup.4 or more of the pluripotent stem cells; and (b) a cell amplification step: immersing the porous scaffold in a specific culture medium which is xeno-free (XF) and performing amplification culture at an ambient temperature of 35.5-39.5° C. and a CO.sub.2 concentration of 5% to obtain the amplified pluripotent stem cells, wherein the amplified pluripotent stem cells aggregate to present an embryoid body state. The amplification method of the present disclosure can easily obtain an excellent effect of increasing an amplification multiple of the pluripotent stem cells to about 3 times or more.

The present disclosure provides methods of preparing immune cells, e.g., T cells and/or NK cells, comprising contacting the cells with programmable cell-signaling scaffolds in a medium comprising at least about 5 mM potassium ion. In some aspects, the methods disclosed herein increase the number of less-differentiated cells in the population of cells. In some aspects, the cultured cells are engineered, e.g., to comprise a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) or an engineered T cell receptor (TCR). In some aspects, the cells are administered to a subject in need thereof.

The present invention relates to dry cell culture media comprising amino acid components of certain particle size. Some dry powder cell culture media show poor dissolving properties and result in turbid solutions when they are dissolved in aqueous solutions. Using amino acid components of certain particle sizes significantly reduces that problem.

Provided herein, inter alia, are compositions and methods for culturing mammalian cells. In certain aspects, the composition is a medium containing one or more of a lithium ion source, one or more fatty acids, and/or ethanol. Use of any of the cell culture media described herein to culture cells that have been genetically engineered to produce one or more recombinant polypeptides (for example, antibodies) can result in increased titers, a more favorable glycosylation profile, and/or modulated (e.g. decreased) amounts of high and low molecular weight species, and/or modulated (e.g. decreased) amounts of acidic or basic charge variants, compared to cells cultured in a medium that does not contain one or more of a lithium ion source, one or more fatty acids, and/or ethanol.

Provided are nucleic acids and vectors that collectively encode various gene products related to converting styrene to polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). In some embodiments, the nucleic acids and vectors collectively encode a styrene monooxygenase polypeptide, a flavin reductase polypeptide, a styrene-oxide isomerase polypeptide, and a phenylacetaldehyde dehydrogenase polypeptide, an acetyl-CoA C-acetyltransferase polypeptide, a 3-ketoacyl-ACP reductase polypeptide, a class I poly(R)-hydroxyalkanoic acid synthase polypeptide, and optionally an influx porin polypeptide. Also provided are systems and methods for producing PHB from styrene, methods and systems for remediating polystyrene waste. In some embodiments, the systems are in vivo systems.

The present application describes an optimized medium for growth of mammalian cells as well as polypeptide production. The cell culture medium is characterized by a Sow ratio of sodium to potassium ions, it further relates to the method of producing polypeptides using such cell culture media. Sn another aspect, the method of polypeptide production can also comprise a temperature shift and/or a pH-shift to further optimize growth and product yield.

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of microorganisms, in particular to Lactobacillus gasseri HMV18 and an exocrine protein and an application thereof. The Lactobacillus gasseri HMV18 is preserved in the China Center for Type Culture Collection on Jul. 11, 2019 with a preservation number of CCTCC NO: M 2019538, and a preservation address of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China. The protein extracted from the Lactobacillus gasseri HMV18 has antibacterial and anti-tumor effects, but basically has no effect on normal myocardial cells, so the Lactobacillus gasseri HMV18 can be applied to preparation of antibacterial and anti-tumor products.

Methods of expanding tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) using a potassium channel agonist, such as a K.sub.Ca3.1 (IK channel) agonist, and uses of such expanded TILs in the treatment of diseases such as cancer are disclosed herein.

The present invention provides a process for controlling the production of ethanol by microbial fermentation of gaseous substrates. More specifically, a process is provided for controlling ethanol productivity through addition of vitamins. In accordance with the process, vitamins B1, B5 and B7 are added in amounts that increase specific ethanol productivity.