This disclosure relates to methods for producing immune cells with enhanced function. More specifically, disclosed herein is a method for enhancing the function of an immune cell comprising modifying an immune cell to inhibit the function of at least one gene selected from the group consisting of RC3H1, RC3H2, A2AR, FAS, TGFBR1, and TGFBR2. Also disclosed herein is a method comprising modifying a stem or progenitor cell capable of differentiating into an immune cell to inhibit the function of at least one gene selected from the group consisting of RC3H1, RC3H2, A2AR, FAS, TGFBR1, and TGFBR2. Also disclosed herein are immune cells or stem cells made by the present methods, as well as the use of immune cells in therapeutic treatment.

Herein the inventors demonstrate that mineralization is a natural ability of cells cultured with at least two elements: calcium and acyclic alkane phosphoester salt or inorganic phosphate salt. The present invention provides methods for producing hydroxyapatite (HAP) in cell culture by supplying cells with these elements. The natural HAP crystals produced by these methods may be utilized in biomedical applications such as bone grafting. Also provided are methods of measuring organic phosphates in a sample from a subject and methods of measuring the glycerophosphates in a sample from a subject.

The invention relates to the use of a protein having nuclease activity for reducing the viscosity and/or preventing an increase in viscosity of a fermentation broth, which comprises intact microorganisms after termination of the fermentation process. The invention moreover relates to a method for reducing the viscosity and/or preventing an increase in viscosity of a fermentation broth comprising intact microorganisms after fermentation and comprising a step of introducing a protein having nuclease activity into the fermentation broth during the fermentation until the start of recovering the end product. The invention further relates to fermentation processes comprising said use of a protein having nuclease activity to allow more flexibility to the downstream processing of the fermentation broth.

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.

A factor that is caused by a nucleic acid and influences the kinetics of an extracellular vesicle is screened. A library of barcoded extracellular vesicles is provided.

Among the various aspects of the present disclosure is the provision of a media for cryopreserved cells and methods of making and using same. An aspect of the present disclosure provides for a cell media formulation comprising (e.g., for day 0) one or more components selected from: MCDB 131; Glutamax; P/S; BSA; Glucose; ZnSO4; an enzyme for digesting DNA (e.g., DNASE1); and/or an apoptosis inhibitor (e.g., BI-6C9).

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new compound capable of efficiently inducing differentiation from pluripotent stem cells into insulin-producing cells. The object of the present invention is achieved by a compound represented by formula (I): ##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, n and A have the same meanings as defined in the description, respectively, or a salt thereof.

An object is to provide a composition and a method for eliminating undifferentiated pluripotent stem cells remaining in a cell group induced to differentiate from pluripotent stem cells. It has been found that while dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitors exhibit cytotoxic activity against pluripotent stem cells, they do not exhibit significant cytotoxic activity against differentiated cells such as somatic stem cells.

Provided are methods for expanding stem cells and/or lineage committed progenitor cells, such as hematopoietic stems cells and/or lineage committed progenitor cells, at least in part, by using compounds that antagonize AhR. The compounds are represented by formulae:

##STR00001## wherein the letters and symbols a, b, c, d, e, f, g, Z, R.sup.1b, R.sup.2a and R.sup.2b have the meanings provided in the specification. Also provided are compositions comprising stem cells and/or lineage committed progenitor cells expanded by methods disclosed herein and methods for the treatment of diseases treatable by same.

A culture medium is disclosed which comprises STAT3 activator, an ERK1/2 inhibitor and an Axin stabilizer, and optionally also a PKC inhibitor. Cell cultures comprising same and uses thereof are also disclosed.