Provided is a method for treating diseases related to cardiac tissue damage or cardiac insufficiency in a subject. The method includes the step of locally applying a mesenchymal stem cell sheet such as an umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell sheet to the heart of the subject. Also provided are related use and compositions of the mesenchymal stem cell sheet.

The present disclosure provides methods of evaluating a therapeutic agent for cancer, and methods of cancer treatment.

The present invention relates to novel compositions and methods to produce 3D organ equivalents of the brain (i.e. “mini-brains”). The invention also relates to methods of using human induced pluripotent stem cells, a combination of growth and other soluble factors and gyratory shaking. Cells from healthy or diseased donors or animals can be used to allow testing different genetic backgrounds. The model can be further enhanced by using genetically modified cells, adding micro-glia or their precursors or indicator cells (e.g. with reporter genes or tracers) as well as adding endothelial cells to form a blood-brain-barrier.

The present invention relates to a method of producing expandable cultured brain cells. The brain cells are neurotrophic factor (NTF) positive. The expandable cultured brain cells are obtained by culturing a biopsy obtained from the cortical and/or subcortical brain region of a living subject. The biopsies can be obtained during neurosurgical procedures such as deep brain stimulation. The expandable cultured brain cells of the present invention are useful for the treatment of neurological diseases and other medical conditions.

The disclosure relates to a method of producing bankable and subculturable mature microglia, and according to a method according to an aspect, subculture and banking are possible, and freeze storage and thawing are also possible, and thus, it is possible to simply isolate and use only mature microglia whenever necessary. In addition, it is possible to dramatically reduce the number of subjects required for an experiment, and therefore, the method may contribute economically to all research or industrial fields related to microglia.

The disclosure includes embodiments for utilizing fibroblasts derived from cancer patients and generating “de novo” tumor specific cancer cells and cancer stem cells. The cells may be used as a source of one or more patient-specific antigens for generating one or more personalized tumor vaccines.

A method of promoting neural stem cell differentiation is provided comprising exposing neural stem cells to a dopamine D.sub.4 receptor antagonist.

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).

The present disclosure provides a substrate for cell culture. Systems comprising the substrate, and methods for using and manufacturing the substrate are also disclosed herein.

A construct that supports cell attachment and alignment including a substrate that is incompatible with photolithography conditions, containing a physical pattern in at least part of one surface, the physical pattern optionally bearing a coating of a metal alkoxide, oxide or mixed oxide-alkoxide thereon and a Self-Assembled Monolayer of Phosphonate (SAMP) covalently attached thereto, which phosphonate contains functionality adapted for cell binding. The construct optionally also contains cells attached thereto. Also disclosed are methods of preparing such a construct.