A human tissue stem cell in which a gene of interest is introduced into a gene locus of a stem cell marker gene.

The present invention relates to a chemically defined medium for eukaryotic cell culture, comprising water, at least one carbon source, one or more vitamins, one or more salts, one or more growth factors, one or more fatty acids, one or more buffer components, selenium and one or more further trace elements and its use in the culture of cancer stem cells, in particular tumorsphere culture of cancer stem cells.

Disclosed are microcapsule compositions and methods for encapsulating living cells. The methods include a microencapsulation approach to isolate and culture high-quality stem cells, including human iPSCs, cancer stem cells, cardiac stem cells, and the like. The microencapsulation methods are inspired by the development of blastomeres into a blastocyst within the Zona pellucida of the human female reproductive system. The bioinspired methods include encapsulation of blastomere-like cell clusters in a Zona-like microcapsule including a miniaturized hyaluronic acid-rich core and a semipermeable hydrogel shell. The cell clusters are subsequently cultured to form highly pluripotent spheroids with improved cell quality, homogeneity, and viability. Methods of use of said microcapsules are also disclosed including therapeutic uses related to human iPSC-based personalized medicines.

The present application relates to a cell cryopreservation protective composition, the use of the composition, and a cell cryopreservation method. The cell cryopreservation protective composition comprises a zwitterionic molecule having the general formula R.sub.1—N.sup.+(CH.sub.3).sub.2—(CH.sub.2).sub.n—R.sub.2, wherein R.sub.1 is a linear or branched alkyl having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and is optionally substituted with a substituent; R.sub.2 is any negatively charged group selected from the group consisting of —COO.sup.−, —SO.sub.4.sup.−, —SO.sub.3.sup.−, and (I); and R.sub.3 is a group selected from the group consisting of (methyl)acryloyloxyalkyl, alkyl and alkenyl; and the zwitterionic molecule having general formula R.sub.1—N.sup.+(CH.sub.3).sub.2—(CH.sub.2).sub.n—R.sub.2 is preferably a betaine compound. The cell cryopreservation protective composition can carry out cell cryopreservation in a non-toxic and efficient manner, and results in an extremely high post-thaw cell survival rate and does not require stepwise cryopreservation. After cell recovery, the cells can be used directly or after being slightly diluted. ##STR00001##

A method of characterizing a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) stem cell (GSC), comprising culturing the GSC to provide a culture, contacting a first set of aliquots of the culture with individual compounds selected from a panel of compounds, identifying two or more of the selected compounds that cause more than a threshold level of cell death in the first set of aliquots, and characterizing the GSC as suitable for treatment with one or more combinations comprising the two or more identified compounds. A panel of chemical compounds, the compounds selected by a method comprising surgically resecting the tumor, culturing a GSC derived from GBM tissue derived from a GBM tumor, contacting aliquots thereof with individual compounds selected from a panel of compounds, and identifying two or more of the selected compounds that cause more than a threshold level of cell death in the aliquots, thereby identifying the compounds.

The present invention relates in part to methods for producing tissue-specific cells from patient samples, and to tissue-specific cells produced using these methods. Methods for reprogramming cells using RNA are disclosed. Therapeutics comprising cells produced using these methods are also disclosed.

The present invention provides cancer stem cell vaccines useful for treating or preventing a variety of tumors, as well as related methods of producing cancer stem cells and antigens thereof and producing vaccine adjuvants with enhanced activity for use with the stem cell vaccines.

The present invention is in the field of oncology, and more particularly of cancer stem cells. It relates to a method for producing cancer stem cells based on overexpression of Δ133ρ536 isoform, Δ133ρ53γ isoform, or both Δ133ρ536 and Δ133ρ53γ isoforms; a method for predicting the risk that treatment with a chemotherapeutic anti-cancer agent induces cancer stem cells in a subject suffering from cancer from a cancer sample of said subject, based on detection of an increase in Δ133ρ536 isoform, Δ133ρ53γ isoform, or both Δ133ρ536 and Δ133ρ53γ isoforms following chemotherapeutic anti-cancer treatment; to therapeutic uses of a combination of chemotherapeutic anti-cancer agent and an agent reducing Δ133p536 isoform, Δ133ρ53γ isoform, or both Δ133ρ536 and Δ133ρ53γ isoforms expression; and also to screening methods for anti-cancer stem cells agents.

The invention relates to improved culture methods for expanding epithelial stem cells and obtaining organoids, to culture media involved in said methods, and to uses of said organoids.

This disclosure provides LOX1 (LOX1) binding proteins such as anti-LOX1 antibodies, and compositions and methods for making these binding proteins. In certain aspects the LOX1-binding proteins provided herein, inhibit, or antagonize LOX1 activity. In addition, the disclosure provides compositions and methods for diagnosing and treating conditions associated with atherosclerosis, thrombosis, coronary artery disease (CAD), ischemia (e.g., myocardial ischemia), infarction (e.g., myocardial infarction), acute coronary syndrome (ACS), stroke, reperfusion injury, restenosis, peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, heart failure, inflammation (e.g., chronic inflammation), angiogenesis, preeclampsia, cancer and other LOX1-mediated diseases and conditions.