The present invention provides new protease-resistant polypeptides, as well as compositions and methods for treating, ameliorating or preventing conditions related to joint damage, including acute joint injury and arthritis.

The present invention examines the interaction between an angiopoietin-1 mimetic peptide, QHREDGS (glutamine-histidine-arginine-glutamic acid-aspartic acid-glycine-serine (SEQ ID NO: 1)) immobilized to a collagen-chitosan hydrogel, and murine bone marrow derived macrophages. When macrophages were cultured in the presence of the peptide conjugated to a hydrogel, both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were produced, in contrast to the application of soluble peptide which elicited minimal cytokine secretion. This indicates a unique macrophage polarization with covalently immobilized peptide hydrogels, which can be beneficial in the context of the wound microenvironment.

The present invention provides new protease-resistant polypeptides, as well as compositions and methods for treating, ameliorating or preventing conditions related to joint damage, including acute joint injury and arthritis.

Factor rich compositions produced from umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells and processes for making and using same are described. The manufacturing process includes utilizing secretory UC MSCs, providing serum and growth factor free growth conditions, and performing filtration of the collected conditioned medium to obtain a clinical grade product.

Embodiments disclosed here provide engineered modified hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), artificially prostaglandin E2 (PGE.sub.2)-stimulated HSCs, compositions comprising these HSCs, methods of using these modified HSCs for treating autoimmune diseases and disorders and for suppressing the immune system. In particular, the engineered modified HSCs or PGE.sub.2-stimulated HSCs express the surface marker, programmed cell death-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1).

Provided are a method of preparing a stem cell-derived epidermal progenitor cell conditioned medium, the method including: differentiating stem cells to stem cell-derived epidermal progenitor cells by culturing the stem cells in a differentiation medium containing ascorbic acid and hydrocortisone; producing a culture of stem cell-derived epidermal progenitor cells by culturing the differentiated stem cell-derived epidermal progenitor cells in a medium; and recovering the stem cell-derived epidermal progenitor cell conditioned medium from the culture of the stem cell-derived epidermal progenitor cells, a stem cell-derived epidermal progenitor cell conditioned medium prepared by the method, and a method of producing a protein from stem cell-derived epidermal progenitor cells, the method including the method of preparing the stem cell-derived epidermal progenitor cell conditioned medium.

The present invention provides new protease resistant polypeptides, as well as compositions and methods for treating, ameliorating or preventing conditions related to joint damage, including acute joint injury and arthritis.

Methods are disclosed for fabricating a three-dimensional engineered blood retinal barrier (BRB) comprising a choroid and retinal pigment epithelial cells. The methods include the use of bioprinting. Also disclosed is a three-dimensional engineered BRB, and its use. Methods are also disclosed for using the three-dimensional engineered BRB, such as for the treatment of retinal degeneration in a subject or screening. A three-dimensional printing insert that is adapted for bioprinting on a culture substrate sheet that is securely retained within and exposed through a printing frame is also disclosed.

Methods are disclosed for fabricating a three-dimensional engineered blood retinal barrier (BRB) comprising a choroid and retinal pigment epithelial cells. The methods include the use of bioprinting. Also disclosed is a three-dimensional engineered BRB, and its use. Methods are also disclosed for using the three-dimensional engineered BRB, such as for the treatment of retinal degeneration in a subject or screening. A three-dimensional printing insert that is adapted for bioprinting on a culture substrate sheet that is securely retained within and exposed through a printing frame is also disclosed.

The present invention provides new protease resistant polypeptides, as well as compositions and methods for treating, ameliorating or preventing conditions related to joint damage, including acute joint injury and arthritis.