A method of producing a 3D tissue composite, comprising: a preparation step in which a multiple number of sheet-shaped first structures containing first cells are prepared, wherein at least one of the multiple number of first structures holds a second structure containing second cells; a stacking step in which the multiple number of first structures are stacked to form a 3D composite; and a culturing step in which the 3D composite is cultured to form a 3D tissue composite containing first tissues formed from the first cells and second tissues formed from the second cells.

The present disclosure relates to an advanced in vivo reprogramming system and a cell conversion method using same. The reprogramming system of the present disclosure comprises a start cell marker promoter, a pluripotency-maintaining gene protein, an amino acid isolation peptide, Cre recombinase, a target cell marker promoter, LoxP, and a gene encoding a fluorescent protein, does not require cell fixation in order to confirm cell conversion, enables real-time monitoring in a living cell state, and may be used both in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, the present disclosure is expected to be widely used in the biological and medical fields.

Disclosed is an apparatus for the production of tissue from cells. The apparatus comprises an elongate body having at least one circumferential groove and being operable to extend, by close-fitting relationship, centrally through at least one trough. The troughs are extending in a closed path, such that the at least one of the circumferential grooves open into an inner edge of a trough. Also disclosed is a process for production of tissue from cells, via a transitioning intermediate which transitions from the cells into the tissue.

A method for inducing reprogramming of a cell of a first type which is not a non-hepatocyte (non-hepatocyte cell), into a cell with functional hepatic drug metabolizing and transporting capabilities, is disclosed. The non-hepatocyte is induced to express or overexpress hepatic fate conversion and maturation factors, cultured in somatic cell culture medium, hepatocyte cell culture medium and hepatocyte maturation medium for a sufficient period of time to convert the non-hepatocyte cell into a cell with hepatocyte-like properties. The iHeps induced according to the methods disclosed herein are functional induced hepatocytes (iHeps) in that they express I and II drug-metabolizing enzymes and phase III drug transporters and show superior drug metabolizing activity compared to iHeps obtained by prior art methods. The iHeps thus provide a cell resource for pharmaceutical applications.

Disclosed herein are methods and materials for transdifferentiating mesenchymal stem cells into neural progenitor cells.

A method for in vitro production of cartilage tissue, which includes the steps of: i) culturing chondrocytes on an adherent culture system in a dedifferentiation culture medium that activates Wnt signaling pathway to obtain chondrocytes with a morphology of fibroblastic-like cells; ii) culturing the fibroblastic-like chondrocytes on an adherent culture system in a redifferentiation culture medium that inactivates Wnt signaling pathway to obtain chondrocytes with full capacity to resynthesize hyaline matrix; and iii) culturing the chondrocytes obtained in step ii) in a three-dimensional culture system in induction/maturation culture medium that maintain the inactivation of Wnt signaling pathway. Also, the therapeutic uses and screening methods using the cartilage tissue thus produced.

A method for inducing differentiated cells into mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and combinations of regulatory targets thereof. The method includes performing a directional induction on the differentiated cells to prepare the mesenchymal stem cells. The directional induction includes treating cells by inhibiting the TGF-β signal pathway, inhibiting the activity of PKC, activating the WNT/β-catenin signal pathway and activating the cAMP signal pathway. By regulating corresponding signal pathways and/or enzymatic activities by stages, the differentiated cells are induced into the mesenchymal stem cells.

A method of culturing a cell population containing cartilage-derived cells positive for expression of Tie2 (cartilage-derived Tie2-positive cells), the method including culturing a cell population containing cartilage-derived Tie2-positive cells in a culture medium containing at least one kind of Tie2 expression enhancer other than growth factors (e.g., an extract derived from a plant of the genus Cinnamomum). This culturing method is preferably performed in cultureware having a culture surface coated with a coating agent (e.g., a polylysine-containing agent).

Methods of producing stem cell conditioned media to treat mammalian injuries or insults. In at least one embodiment of a method for isolating non-endothelial adipocyte-depleted stromal cells of the present disclosure, the method comprises, comprising dissociating subcutaneous adipose tissue isolated from a mammal into a cell suspension, removing adipocytes from said cell suspension, resulting in a non-endothelial adipocyte-depleted cell suspension, and culturing the non-endothelial adipocyte-depleted cell suspension in a media containing growth factors VEGF, bFGF, EGF, and IGF, such that a mixed population of cells comprising a first population of further differentiated non-endothelial adipocyte-depleted CD34+/VE-cadherin− cells and a second population of further differentiated non-endothelial adipocyte-depleted CD34+/VE-cadherin+ cells are obtained and expanded.

A method for inducing reprogramming of a cell of a first type which is not a non-hepatocyte (non-hepatocyte cell), into a cell with functional hepatic drug metabolizing and transporting capabilities, is disclosed. The non-hepatocyte is induced to express or overexpress hepatic fate conversion and maturation factors, cultured in somatic cell culture medium, hepatocyte cell culture medium and hepatocyte maturation medium for a sufficient period of time to convert the non-hepatocyte cell into a cell with hepatocyte-like properties. The iHeps induced according to the methods disclosed herein are functional induced hepatocytes (iHeps) in that they express I and II drug-metabolizing enzymes and phase III drug transporters and show superior drug metabolizing activity compared to iHeps obtained by prior art methods. The iHeps thus provide a cell resource for pharmaceutical applications.