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.

Provided is a human-derived sensory neuron induction culture system. A combination of a small molecule inhibitor LY2157299 and a growth factor is added into a serum-free basal medium. Compared with an induction method involving serum, not only is the efficiency of inducing pluripotent stem cells into sensory neurons greatly improved, but the expression of a variety of ion channel proteins is also significantly improved, thereby achieving successful induction of multiple induced pluripotent stem cells from different sources into sensory neurons.

Embodiments herein provide methods of differentiating neural stem cells to neuronal cells while concomitantly retarding neural stem cell proliferation. Resultant cultures demonstrate reduced clumping of cells, increased purity of neuronal cells and accelerated electrophysiology as compared to control methods.

A method for producing a cell construct including, contacting Schwann cells or Schwann cell-like cells with a biocompatible matrix, and subjecting to cultivation, where the cultivation is at least partially performed by administering mechanical stimulation on the cells in contact with the biocompatible matrix. A cell construct obtained by the method.

Compositions and methods modulating the steady state of cells are provided. The compositions include metabolites (C1 metabolites and C1 metabolite cocktails (C1-MIM) for use in inducing cells into a different state from their steady state, for example, into a less differentiated state, when compared to their original state before treatment. The C1 metabolites include methionine, SAM (S-adenosyl methionine), threonine, glycine, putrescine, and cysteine. The metabolites are used to supplement cell culture media, and accordingly, cells culture media supplemented with the disclosed metabolites (MIM supplemented media) are also provided.

The method includes: contacting a cell with the C1 metabolites for a sufficient period of time to result in reprograming the cell into a different state from their steady, for example, into a less differentiated state having progenitor-like characteristics (MIM-Cells). Isolated MIM-cells and their progeny, can be used in a number of applications, including cell therapy and tissue engineering.

The invention provides a method for producing a cell aggregate containing a ciliary marginal zone-like structure by culturing a cell aggregate containing a retinal tissue in which Chx10 positive cells are present in a proportion of 20% or more of the tissue in a serum-free medium or serum-containing medium, each containing a substance acting on the Wnt signal pathway for only a period before the appearance of a RPE65 gene expressing cell, followed by culturing the “cell aggregate in which a RPE65 gene expressing cell does not appear” thus obtained in a serum-free medium or serum-containing medium, each not containing a substance acting on the Wnt signal pathway and so on.

The present invention relates to improvement of the yield of skin-derived pluripotent precursor cells in induction of differentiation of stem cells to skin-derived pluripotent precursor cells. The present invention provides a method for preparing skin-derived pluripotent precursor cell comprising culturing a neural crest stem cells in the presence of at least one selected from the group consisting of laminin and a fragment thereof to differentiate the cells to skin-derived pluripotent precursor cells, wherein the laminin is at least one selected from the group consisting of laminin 111, laminin 121, laminin 332, laminin 421, laminin 511, laminin 521, and a variant thereof.

Uses of n-butylidenephthalide (BP) in dopaminergic progenitor cell transplantation are provided, wherein the uses include using BP to enhance the therapeutic effect of dopaminergic progenitor cell transplantation, and using a combination of BP and BP-treated dopaminergic progenitor cells in dopaminergic progenitor cell transplantation. The uses especially relate to using BP to enhance the therapeutic effect of dopaminergic progenitor cell transplantation on Parkinson’s disease.

The present invention provides methods of producing, purifying and expanding mDA progenitor cells.

Provided is a use of a Neurog2 functional fragment. The functional fragment can induce, in vivo or in vitro, glial cell formation into functional neuron cells, and thus can not only have a transdifferentiation function in normal tissue, but also facilitate neural reconstruction of damaged neural tissue.