The present invention relates to methods of generating a population of beta cells from a population of alpha cells, by contacting said population of alpha cells with GABA or a GABA receptor agonist, in combination with a monoclonal glucagon neutralizing antibody or other alpha cell mass regulating compounds, for an improved diabetes therapy.

The present invention pertains to a cell culture medium comprising hypotaurine, GABA, and/or beta-alanine or the combination of choline and hypotaurine, GABA, and/or beta-alanine as media supplements which is shown to control viability, growth, and waste byproduct accumulation. The present invention further pertains to a method of producing a polypeptide of interest in a large scale cell culture containing hypotaurine, GABA, and/or beta-alanine or the combination of choline and hypotaurine, GABA, and/or beta-alanine.

Disclosed are methods of preparing hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells (HSPCs) for transplant into a subject and to methods of using the treated cells. More particularly, methods of the invention comprise treating HSPCs ex vivo with an effective amount of a GABBR1 agonist and administering the treated HSPCs to the subject.

The invention provides a defined low protein culture medium for maintaining cells in an undifferentiated state, the medium comprising: a basal medium, an organic acid from the tricarboxylic acid cycle, nonessential amino acids, a combination of growth factors selected from the group consisting of FGF-2 protein, an IGF-1 protein or insulin, a Transferrin protein, and a TGF beta 1 protein, wherein the medium is essentially feeder-free, essentially xeno-free, essentially free of beta-mercaptoethanol, and essentially free of animal-derived or human-derived proteins.

The present invention relates to generation of functional beta cells from human pluripotent stem cell-derived endocrine progenitors. The present invention also relates to functional beta cells produced by said methods and uses of said beta cells.

The present invention relates to method of generation of functional mature beta cells from human pluripotent stem cell-derived endocrine progenitors. The present invention also relates to functional mature beta cells produced by said methods and uses of said mature beta cells for treating diabetes.

This invention relates to compositions and methods for the transplantation of GABAergic neurons. GABAergic neurons and compositions comprising the same according to the present invention may be used as cell-based therapies for restoring or reinforcing central inhibition in the nervous system of a subject and for the treatment of neurological conditions, diseases and disorders associated with impaired or aberrant neural function. In a preferred embodiment, the transplant composition comprise of GABAergic neurons, a GFR-alpha agonist, and at least one cell death inhibitor, and that the GABAergic neurons are generated by differentiating pluripotent stem cells, multipotent stem cells, or progenitor cells.

The present invention relates to methods for identifying patients a subject at risk of developing an autoimmune or inflammatory disorder, as well as methods of prevention of development of an autoimmune or inflammatory disorder, comprising administering GABA, or a GABA receptor agonist, to a subject so identified. The invention furthermore relates to methods for assessing a subject's susceptibility to treatment with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) or a GABA receptor agonist, as well as biomarkers to be used in the assessment of the response of a GABA treatment.

The present invention relates to methods of generating a population of beta cells from a population of alpha cells, by contacting said population of alpha cells with GABA or a GABA receptor agonist, in combination with a monoclonal glucagon neutralizing antibody or other alpha cell mass regulating compounds, for an improved diabetes therapy.

The present invention relates to a method for in vitro cultivation of hematopoietic and/or mesenchymal cells, wherein said cells are cultivated in a cultivation medium comprising gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) or a GABA receptor agonist, to cells obtained by such a method and therapeutic use of such cells in methods of treatment of autoimmune, inflammatory or allergic disorder. The invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the cells and cultivation media for use in the method according to the invention.