A method for producing an objective protein by using animal cells as an expression host is provided. The objective protein is produced by culturing animal cells having an objective protein-producing ability in the presence of an L-cysteine derivative such as (2RS,4R)-2-methyl-2,4-thiazolidinedicarboxylic acid 2-ethyl ester.

The present invention relates to a method of converting human fibroblasts into neural stem cells, and more particularly, to a method of directly converting human fibroblasts into neural stem cells using only a combination of small-molecule compounds without any introduction of a foreign gene, and to the use of the neural stem cells. The method of directly converting human fibroblasts into neural stem cells using only small-molecule compounds without any introduction of a foreign gene makes it possible to obtain genetically stable neural stem cells in an amount sufficient for use in cell therapy by deriving them from human fibroblasts. The neural stem cells obtained according to the method of the present invention can differentiate into functional neural cells and are not tumorigenic. Thus, these neural stem cells are useful as cellular therapeutic agents for treatment of brain diseases.

Methods for derivation, culture, and maturation of small hepatic progenitor cells are described.

The present invention relates to a method for preparation of mesenchymal stem cells from human pluripotent stem cells and, more particularly, to a method for preparation of mesenchymal stem cells, wherein mesenchymal stem cells differentiated from embryoid bodies of a certain size in a xeno-free and serum-free environment are prepared, whereby the mesenchymal stem cells exhibit increased safety and maintain their own characteristics for a long period of time. A method for preparation of mesenchymal stem cells from human pluripotent stem cells according to the present invention employs a feeder cell-free, xeno-free, and serum-free culture environment to solve the problem of contamination with a foreign animal-derived material and allow the preparation of highly safe mesenchymal stem cells. In addition, the method utilizes spheroidal embryoid bodies to form mature embryoid bodies uniform in shape and size, thereby improving the differentiation efficiency to mesenchymal stem cells and exhibiting an exceptional effect of stably maintaining mesenchymal stem cell characteristics even after a long-term subculture, such as 20 or more passages, through which human pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells can be prepared in a large amount. Therefore, the invention is advantageous for commercializing cell therapeutic agents superb in safety and efficiency.

The invention relates to compounds as described herein and pharmaceutical compositions containing them. Also, the invention relates to methods for expanding stem cells and/or progenitor cells and methods for treating a hematopoietic disorder/malignancy, an autoimmune disease and/or an inherited immunodeficient disease.

The disclosure provides variants of nicotine oxidoreductase and methods to select such variants that are unexpectedly active in the catabolic destruction of nicotine by oxidation using oxygen as electron acceptor, and catabolically active fragments thereof. Also disclosed are compositions comprising the CycN cytochrome c protein and at least one of the variant nicotine oxidoreductase holoenzymes, the fragments thereof, or a naturally occurring nicotine oxidoreductase, as well as fusion proteins comprising catalytically active nicotine oxidoreductase fragments or holoenzymes and CycN cytochrome c fragments or holoenzymes. Additionally, variants of L-6-hydroxynicotine oxidase, or catalytically active fragments thereof, are provided. Further disclosed are polynucleotides encoding such proteins, vectors comprising such polynucleotides, and host cells comprising such polynucleotides or vectors. Also provided are methods of using any of the disclosed compositions or formulations to treat nicotine dependence or reduce the risk of relapse to nicotine dependence.

Disclosed herein is a formulation comprising an extracellular vesicle (EV), and a therapeutic active agent induced or embedded in the EV. According to preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, the EV is isolated from umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells, and the active agent may be a growth factor, an immune-modulating agent, a small molecule, an siRNA, cDNA or a plant ingredient; for example, curcumin. Also disclosed herein are methods for producing the present formulation, and uses of the present formulation in the treatment of various diseases.

The invention relates to the use of matrix cells for obtaining a micro hair follicle and to the use thereof for evaluating the effect of cosmetic, pharmaceutical or dermatological products and also for the prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of a state of reduced pilosity.

The present invention relates to a culture broth for culturing Gram-positive bacteria that can simultaneously culturing not only general Gram-positive bacteria but also Streptococcus pneumoniae. The present invention provides a culture broth for culturing Gram-positive bacteria, comprising a meat extract, casein hydrolysate, an antioxidant enzyme, a surfactant, starch, and a solidifying agent.

A method of treating medical conditions by stem cell therapy. Stem cells are transplanted into and onto a human or animal patient in need, Then stem cell proliferation is increased, activating migration to sites of inflammation and epigenetic effects, regenerating damaged tissues through inhibition of apoptosis, inhibition of inflammation and oxidative stress, and inducing angiogenesis and stem cell differentiation into various cells by administering substances that induce GSK-3 beta inhibition and HDAC inhibition.