The present invention provides a composite which can be produced by photostructuring a photostructurable matrix material in a composite formulation to form a structured matrix with nanoparticles, where the refractive index of the composite with nanoparticles differs from the refractive index of the composite without nanoparticles at one wavelength, selected from the range from 150 nm to 2000 nm by less than 0.5, said composite being hierarchically structured and comprising at least one structural unit (I) of a selected thickness (i) and structural units (II) branching from said structural unit (I) of a selected thickness (ii), wherein the thickness (ii) at the branch-off points is at most half the thickness (i). In addition, the present invention provides an improved process for the preparation of a composite comprising photostructured matrix material and nanoparticles contained therein and the use of the composite.

Embodiments herein described provide antigen-presenting cell-mimetic scaffolds (APC-MS) and use of such scaffolds to manipulating T-cells. More specifically, the scaffolds are useful for promoting growth, division, differentiation, expansion, proliferation, activity, viability, exhaustion, anergy, quiescence, apoptosis, or death of T-cells in various settings, e.g., in vitro, ex vivo, or in vivo. Embodiments described herein further relate to pharmaceutical compositions, kits, and packages containing such scaffolds. Additional embodiments relate to methods for making the scaffolds, compositions, and kits/packages. Also described herein are methods for using the scaffolds, compositions, and/or kits in the diagnosis or therapy of diseases such as cancers, immunodeficiency disorders, and/or autoimmune disorders.

A method of producing a cell mass by three-dimensional culture of primary cancer cells having proliferative ability and properties of handleability, versatility, and high-throughput performance, in which a tumor tissue is used as a starting material, proliferation of cells such as fibroblasts other than cancer cells is inhibited, and the cell mass includes primary cancer cells as a main component. The object is achieved by providing a method of producing a cell mass by three-dimensional culture of primary cancer cells using a tumor tissue, including: a three-dimensional culture step of culturing cells obtained from the tumor tissue in a medium containing a 5% v/v or less extracellular matrix on a substantially low-adhesive cell culture substrate.

The presently disclosure relates to a system and method for bioelectronic communications. In certain embodiments the system comprises a bacterial cell or cells that comprise a genetic system for high-efficiency over-expression and secretion of recombinant proteins in bacteria. In certain embodiments, the system and method operate in a “pump-then-burst release” fashion to rapidly achieve high yields extracellularly. In certain embodiments, the system and method include quorum sensing-derived regulation, which may enable auto-induction of a protein's expression and secretion.

A method of screening for a substance that acts on a cell mass includes producing a cell mass by three-dimensional culture of primary cancer cells using a tumor tissue, adding a test substance to the cell mass, and evaluating an action of the test substance on the cell mass. The cell mass is produced by culturing cells obtained from the tumor tissue in a medium containing a 5% v/v or less extracellular matrix on a substantially low-adhesive cell culture substrate and producing the cell mass of the primary cancer cells.

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) possess tremendous potential for tissue regeneration and banking hiPSCs by cryopreservation for their ready availability is crucial to their widespread use. However, contemporary methods for hiPSC cryopreservation are associated with both limited cell survival and high concentration of toxic cryoprotectants and/or serum. The latter may cause spontaneous differentiation and introduce xenogeneic factors, which may compromise the quality of hiPSCs. Here, sand from nature is discovered to be capable of seeding ice above −10° C., which enables cryopreservation of hiPSCs with no serum, minimized cryoprotectant, and high cell survival. Furthermore, the cryopreserved hiPSCs retain high pluripotency and functions judged by the pluripotency marker expression, cell cycle analysis, and capability of differentiation into the three germ layers. This unique sand-mediated cryopreservation method may greatly facilitate the convenient and ready availability of high-quality hiPSCs and probably many other types of cells/tissues for the emerging cell-based translational medicine.

A spheroid formation promoter, including: inorganic particles having adsorbability as an active ingredient; and a method of promoting spheroid formation, including the step of: mixing a dispersion liquid of the spheroid formation promoter and a cell suspension to obtain a mixture in which the inorganic particles having adsorbability contained in the spheroid formation promoter are dispersed, and culturing a cell contained in the obtained mixture to promote spheroid formation.

Provided herein are tissues containing semiconductor nanomaterials and methods of preparing and using the same.

In accordance with the purpose(s) of the present disclosure, as embodied and broadly described herein, embodiments of the present disclosure, in one aspect, relate to methods of making a structure including nanotubes, a structure including nanotubes, methods of delivering a fluid to a cell, methods of removing a fluid to a cell, methods of accessing intracellular space, and the like.

The present invention provides substantia nigra organoids on silica iSECnMs and method of producing the same. The present invention also provides method of cell therapy including the substantia nigra organoids on silica iSECnMs. It also provides a method of promoting differentiation of neural stem cells to neurons includes culturing the neural stem cells on a nanostructure having a plurality of nanozigzags or nanohelices fabricated from SiO.sub.2 or TiO.sub.x.