The present application discloses the use of light-gated cation-selective channelrhodopsins (Ch Rs) for the optogenetic control of the secretion of a polypeptide of interest in adipocytes. Engineered adipocytes comprising a channelrhodopsin (ChR) polypeptide, and/or a nucleic acid encoding same, and a secretory polypeptide precursor comprising a bioactive polypeptide and a signal peptide suitable for secretion of the bioactive polypeptide by the engineered adipocytes, and/or a nucleic acid encoding same, are disclosed. The use of such engineered adipocytes for the management or treatment of diseases/conditions in which the secretion of a polypeptide of interest is beneficial, such as the secretion of insulin in diabetic patients, is also disclosed.

A method for processing biological material containing stringy tissue in a container having a tissue collector disposed in a tissue retention volume on one side of an internal filter includes washing biological material contained in the tissue retention volume with wash liquid to the tissue retention volume and allowing the wash liquid and rotating the tissue collector disposed in the tissue retention volume relative to the container in a first direction of rotation about an axis of rotation to sweep the teeth positioned on the tissue collector through the biological material and to collect stringy material on the tissue collector.

The present invention provides a method of treating a disorder using a fibromodulin (FMOD) reprogrammed (FReP) cell. The method comprises administering locally to a human being the FReP cell to a site in need thereof of the human being.

The invention provides a quiescent stem cell having the capacity to differentiate into ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm, and which does not express cell surface markers including MHC class I, MHC class II, CD44, CD45, CD13, CD34, CD49c, CD73, CD105, CD90, CD66A, CD66E, CXCR4, CD133 or an SSEA. The invention further provides a proliferative stem cell, which expresses genes including Oct-4, Nanog, Sox2, GDF3, P16INK4, BMI, Notch, HDAC4, TERT, Rex-1, TWIST, KLF-4 and Stella but does not express cell surface markers including MHC class I, MHC class II, CD44, CD45, CD13, CF34, CF49c, CD73, CD105, CD90, CD66A, CD66E, CXCR4, CD133 or an SSEA. The cells of the invention can be isolated from adult mammals, have embryonic cell characteristics, and can form embryoid bodies. Methods for obtaining the stem cells, as well as methods of treating diseases and differentiated stem cells, are also provided.

Provided is an isolated population of human pluripotent stem cells comprising at least 50% human pluripotent stem cells characterized by an OCT4+/TRA1-60−/TRA1-81−/SSEA1+/SSEA4− expression signature, and novel methods of generating and maintaining same in a pluripotent, undifferentiated state a suspension culture devoid of cell clumps. Also provided are novel culture media, cell cultures and methods for culturing pluripotent stem cells in a suspension culture or a two-dimensional culture system while maintaining the cells in a proliferative, pluripotent and undifferentiated state. The novel culture media comprise interleukin 11 (IL11) and Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor (CNTF); bFGF at a concentration of at least 50 ng/ml and an IL6RIL6 chimera; or an animal contaminant-free serum replacement and an IL6RIL6 chimera. Also provided are methods for generating lineage-specific cells from the pluripotent stem cells.

A culture medium for human adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells includes a keratinocyte-SFM basal medium, L-Cysteine, FGF and SDF-1 is disclosed. The culture medium is effective for growing mesenchymal stem cells at a high proliferation rate while maintaining the purity, characterization and undifferentiated state of the cells.

Various cells, stem cells, and stem cell components, including associated methods of generating and using such cells are provided. In one aspect, for example, an isolated cell that is capable of self-renewal and culture expansion and is obtained from a subepithelial layer of a mammalian umbilical cord tissue. Such an isolated cell expresses at least three cell markers selected from CD29, CD73, CD90, CD166, SSEA4, CD9, CD44, CD146, or CD105, and does not express at least three cell markers selected from CD45, CD34, CD14, CD79, CD106, CD86, CD80, CD19, CD117, Stro-1, or HLA-DR.

Described herein are compositions and methods for the mitigation of burn progression. In particular, the described herein are compositions including regenerative cells for use in preventing and reducing burn progression. Also described are compositions and methods for improving graft take and healing, and preventing and/or treating hypertrophic scars.

An isolated human brown adipose tissue stem cell line. In one embodiment, the isolated human brown adipose tissue stem cell line expresses the markers CD9, SSEA4, CD44, CD90, CD166, CD73, but not CD14, CD34, CD45 or STRO-1. In another embodiment, the isolated human brown adipose tissue stem cell line expresses the genes UCP1, PPARGC1A, NRF1, FOXC2, CREB1, SIRT3, and WNT5A (REFX). In still another embodiment, the isolated human brown adipose tissue stem cell line is capable of differentiating into osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes.

In certain aspects, the present invention provides compositions and methods for increasing thermogenic adipocytes (e.g., brown adipocytes or other UCP-1 expressing adipocytes) by administering an antagonist of an ActRIIB signaling pathway. Examples of such antagonists include ActRIIB polypeptides, anti-ActRIIB antibodies, anti-myostatin antibodies, anti-GDF3 antibodies, anti-Noda1, anti-activin, and anti-GDF11 antibodies. A variety of metabolic and other disorders may be treated by causing an increase in thermogenic adipocytes.