The disclosure provides a method for producing hepatocytes or hepatic progenitor cells; a method for suppressing hepatocyte aging using a drug causing histone hyperacetylation; a hepatocyte anti-aging agent; a method for increasing hepatocyte plasticity; and a drug for increasing hepatocyte plasticity.

The present invention provides for identification and use of small molecules to induce pluripotency in mammalian cells as well as other methods of inducing pluripotency.

A method of obtaining a pluripotent-like multipotent cell, including providing a cell of a first type which is not a pluripotent-like multipotent cell; contacting the cell of a first type with an agent capable of remodeling the chromatin and/or DNA of the cell; transiently increasing expression of at least one pluripotent gene regulator in the cell of a first type, to a level at which the at least one pluripotent gene regulator is capable of driving transformation of the cell of a first type into the pluripotent-like multipotent cell; and placing or maintaining the cell in a differentiation medium and maintaining intracellular levels of the at least one pluripotent gene regulator for a sufficient period of time to allow a stable pluripotent-like multipotent cell to be obtained; wherein the pluripotent-like multipotent cell so obtained does not exhibit teratoma formation in vivo.

A method to expand hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) wherein the method comprises obtaining an isolated population of HSPC the culturing the isolated population of HSPC in the presence of a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDAC inhibitor), to form a cultured population, then adding an aminothiol compound to the cultured population.

Disclosed are methods and compositions useful for treatment of blindness or dry macular degeneration. In one embodiment, retinal pigmented epithelial cells are generated from fibroblasts through induction of differentiation, and/or transdifferentiation. In another embodiment, fibroblast-derived products, such as differentiated retinal pigmented epithelial cells, are provided to subjects in a therapeutically effective amount.

The present disclosure relates to methods for improving myogenic differentiation capacity of a cell line or an immortalized cell line. For example, the present disclosure relates to methods of exposing an immortalized cell line (e.g., an immortalized fibroblast cell line) to culture media comprising signaling pathway agonists, antagonist, or a combination thereof in order to improve differentiation capacity. In another example, the present disclosure relates to methods of improving differentiation capacity of a cell line or an immortalized cell line where the method includes transforming an immortalized cell line with one or more myogenic regulatory factors and exposing the immortalized cell line to culture media comprising signaling pathway agonists, antagonists, or a combination thereof.

Embodiments of the invention employ methods and compositions for enhancing potency of immune cells that express one or more therapeutic proteins. In certain cases, the methods modulate expression of a CAR transgene in an immune cell, such as a T cell. Specific embodiments employ the exposure of cells and/or individuals to be treated with the cells with an effective amount of at least one agent that upregulates expression of the therapeutic protein, such as a mitogen, histone deacetylase inhibitor, and or DNA methyltransferase inhibitor.

A method for producing a cell population containing cardiomyocytes, including (1) a step of bringing a histone deacetylase inhibitor into contact with a cell population containing cardiomyocytes and cells other than cardiomyocytes, the cell population being obtained by culturing pluripotent stem cells in a medium for cardiomyocyte differentiation, and (2) a step of culturing the cell population is provided by the present invention.

The present invention provides methods and compostions to improve the efficiency of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). There is increasing evidence that the epigenetic state of donor nuclei has a significant impact on potential of nuclear transfer embryos to develop into blastocysts, from which pluripotent stem cells are derived. Strategic application of histone agents, capable of altering epigenetic state such as methylation, allows zygotic activation and robust blastocyst generation.

The present disclosure provides histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6)-activated macrophages, compositions comprising HDAC6-activated macrophages, methods of making HDAC6-activated macrophages, and methods of treating diseases, e.g., cancer, by administering a therapeutically effective amount of HDAC6-activated macrophages.