Abstract: Disclosed is a novel means for accurate qualitative and quantitative analyses for each N-glycosylation site. The method of analyzing N-linked sugar chain(s) of glycoprotein according to the present invention comprises: treating a part of a glycopeptide-containing sample to be analyzed with endo-?-N-acetylglucosaminidases to cleave off sugar chains while leaving one GlcNAc of the chitobiose core on the Asn at the N-glycosylation site; subjecting the obtained sugar chain-cleaved sample to preliminary liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry; predicting the retention time of the glycopeptide of interest and the mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) of the precursor ion in main analysis based on the results of the preliminary liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry; and carrying out the main analysis. By this method, the binding sites and structures of N-linked sugar chains in a glycoprotein can be analyzed.

Abstract: The present invention solves the following problems [1] to [3] found in conventional methods of preparing a three dimensional structure (organ primordium) by coculturing functional cells with umbilical cord-derived vascular endothelial cells and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal cells: [1] the quality of resultant organ primordia varies greatly depending on donors; [2] the growth capacities of cell sources are limited; and [3] it is difficult to secure immunocompatibility because cells are derived from different sources. An organ bud prepared from vascular cells, mesenchymal cells and tissue or organ cells, wherein each of the vascular cell, the mesenchymal cell and the tissue or organ cell has been induced from pluripotent stem cells. A method of preparing an organ bud, comprising culturing vascular cells, mesenchymal cells and tissue or organ cells in vitro, wherein each of the vascular cell, the mesenchymal cell and the tissue or organ cell has been induced from pluripotent stem cells.

Abstract: To provide a cell culture kit including cultured living cells of various donors, and a manufacturing method thereof. The cell culture kit includes a culture plate and living cells cultured thereon. The culture plate includes a plurality of microchambers (33) and living cells derived from various donors are adhered to surfaces of the plurality of microchambers (33). Specifically, living cells D1, D2, and D3 derived from various donors are adhered to the plurality of microchambers (33). In each microchamber (33), living cells derived from one donor or living cells derived from various donors may be cultured. The living cells derived from various donors are adhered and cultured in the cell culture kit as a whole, which makes it possible to provide a cell culture kit to conduct a test using cells derived from various donors.

Abstract: A cell culture device includes an isolator and an incubator. A connection unit is used to connect the isolator and the incubator, and is provided with: a flexible cell supply tube extending from the incubator to the isolator; and a tube support unit having a holding part holding the cell supply tube and a connection end part attached to the incubator. The tube support unit can be switched between a first configuration in which the tube support unit supports the cell supply tube such that the cell supply tube extends in a first direction and a second configuration in which the tube support unit holds the cell supply tube such that the cell supply tube extends in a second direction. The second configuration is switched to the first configuration by means of the restoring force of the tube support unit.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a composition for preventing or improving fat deposition on the liver in spite of the alcohol intake history of a level that a liver disease is not caused. The inventors found that glutathione has an effect of preventing or improving fat deposition on the liver, which is not caused by alcohol, and completed the present invention. Among nonalcoholic fat diseases, the present invention is particularly effective in an early stage of the treatment or in a case where treatment for another disease is not performed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a culture method for culturing, in recesses (10), a population including two or more cells including a cell derived from a stem cell and a mesenchymal cell. The cell derived from a stem cell is a cell obtained by differentiating a stem cell in vitro. The cell is a cell of one or more types selected from the group consisting of an endodermal cell, an ectodermal cell, and a mesodermal cell. The population is cultured in the recesses (10) together with a vascular cell or a secretor factor. Each recess (10) includes a space in which cells are movable. When a volume of the space is represented by V mm3 and the number of mesenchymal cells seeded in the space is represented by N, V is 400 or less and N/V is in a range from 35 to 3000.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for artificially inducing and regulating “tissue interactions” among multiple tissues. A construct for transplantation into a living body, which comprises a structure and a cell mass linked to each other, the structure being an object having a three-dimensional structure and capable of mimicking or resembling a structure and/or a function of the living body.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a cancer stem cell and a method for preparing the same. The present invention provides a method for preparing a pluripotent cancer stem cell, comprising transferring Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc genes to an immortalized epithelial cell. The present invention also provides a pluripotent cancer stem cell as prepared by the above method.

Abstract: Means which enables preparation of a thick cell aggregate by a simple process without an operation of detaching and stacking of cells is disclosed. The method for preparing a three-dimensional cell aggregate by the present invention comprises: a cell encasing step of placing a cell suspension in a cell container; and a pressure application step of applying pressure to cells in the container. The cell encasing step and the pressure application step may be carried out a plurality of times. By the present invention, a thick, robust cell aggregate can be obtained by a simple operation of applying pressure to a cell suspension or a medium containing cells. Since the method does not require an operation of stacking a plurality of cell sheets, the cells are hardly damaged, and the conditions of the cells can be favorably maintained, so that the cells can be advantageously used as a tissue piece for transplantation.

Abstract: An operation isolator forms an aseptic space. An incubator is connected to the operation isolator, in which cells are stored and cultured. A storage chamber stores articles used in the operation isolator. In order to carry articles from the outside into the storage chamber, a decontamination pass-box is provided. The storage chamber and the operation isolator are directly or indirectly connected to each other.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique which enables organization of bone marrow cells by a simple method in a short period of time. A method for preparing a bone marrow cell aggregate, comprising adding a liquid containing a bone marrow cell population to a medium containing a swellable material and culturing the bone marrow cell population in the presence of the swellable material. A method for reassembling a bone marrow tissue, comprising adding a liquid containing a bone marrow cell population to a medium containing a swellable material and culturing the bone marrow cell population in the presence of the swellable material. According to common knowledge in the art, it has been considered difficult to reorganize once disintegrated bone marrow tissue without changing the cell composition (that is, without adding any adherent cell or extracellular matrix which will work as a “connecting material (binder)”). Indeed, it was impossible to aggregate bone marrow cells by conventional methods.

Abstract: Provided is a culture chamber that includes a plurality of recesses each formed of a bottom portion and an opening portion. The bottom portion has a hemispherical shape or a truncated cone shape. The opening portion is defined by a wall that surrounds an area from a boundary between the opening portion and the bottom portion to an end of each of the recesses, the wall having a taper angle in a range from 1 to 20 degrees. An equivalent diameter of the boundary is from 50 ?m to 2 mm and a depth from a bottom of the bottom portion to the end of each of the recesses is from 0.6 or more times to 3 or less times the equivalent diameter, and the wall defining the opening portion forms a surface continuous to the bottom portion. An inclination of the continuous surface changes at the boundary.

Abstract: Provided is an in vivo movement tracking apparatus configured to track a portion of interest that moves in vivo, in which accuracy and robustness of tracking are improved. The apparatus is configured to determine an estimated position of ah organ in a biological image based on the past movement of the organ and search for contour points corresponding to a plurality of control points, respectively, representing a contour shape of the organ in a region corresponding to the estimated position, to thereby determine an estimated contour of the organ based on the contour points. The in vivo movement tracking apparatus is configured to determine a position of a portion of interest, which moves in association with the organ, based on the estimated contour with reference to previously acquired sample data regarding a positional relationship between a contour of the organ and the portion of interest.

Abstract: An in vivo motion tracking device tracking an in vivo motion that is a tracking target included in an ultrasonic image includes an image acquiring unit that is configured to acquire an ultrasonic image, an advance learning unit that is configured to perform advance learning using the ultrasonic image as learning data, and a tracking unit that is configured to track a position of the tracking target in an ultrasonic image including the tracking target after the advance learning performed by the advance learning unit.

Abstract: Provided is a method that achieves control of embryoid body size and can induce differentiation in a state where the embryoid body size is controlled, by using a cell culture chamber having a plurality of microchambers formed therein. A culture method for causing differentiation of pluripotent mammalian cells uses a cell culture chamber (10) having a plurality of microchambers (11) formed on a culture surface. The cell culture chamber (10) has a culture surface formed of spaces in which the microchambers (11) have a space structure with a height of 10 ?m to 500 ?m and a bottom area of 100 ?m2 to 1 mm2. The culture method for causing differentiation of pluripotent mammalian cells includes culturing pluripotent mammalian cells to obtain a cell population at least partially differentiated into endoderm lineage cells, by using the cell culture chambers (10).

Abstract: A culture chamber includes a plurality of recesses (10) each formed of a bottom portion (11) and an opening portion (12). The bottom portion (11) has a hemispherical shape and the opening portion (12) is defined by a wall that surrounds an area from a boundary between the opening portion (12) and the bottom portion (11) to an end of each of the recesses (10), the wall having a taper angle in a range from 1 degree to 20 degrees. An equivalent diameter of the boundary is in a range from 50 ?m to 2 mm and a depth from a bottom of the bottom portion (11) to the end of each of the recesses is in a range from 0.6 or more times to 3 or less times the equivalent diameter, and the wall defining the opening portion (12) forms a surface continuous to the bottom portion (11).

Abstract: A power supply apparatus includes a power supply configured to apply an alternating current to a magnetic field generation apparatus; and a controller configured to control the alternating current applied by the power supply. The controller controls the power supply to apply the alternating current having a waveform pattern including a plurality of current waveforms having different frequency spectrums from each other.

Abstract: A novel means that can suppress development of arteriosclerotic lesions and treat arteriosclerosis is disclosed. An antiarteriosclerotic agent according to the present invention comprises, as an active ingredient, a substance which selectively suppresses B2 cells. The substance which selectively suppresses B2 cells is, for example, an anti-CD23 antibody. A first aspect of the method of assisting in determining a condition of arteriosclerosis according to the present invention comprises measuring expression of at least one gene selected from particular gene groups using a sample isolated from a subject. A second aspect of the method comprises measuring the level of IgG3 and/or the level of total IgG in a serum sample isolated from a subject.

Abstract: A virus infection model which overcomes the drawbacks of conventional hepatitis virus infection models is provided. A method for constructing a virus infection model capable of recapitulating a viral life cycle, comprising infecting a cell condensate formed by culturing a tissue or organ cell in vitro with a virus. A virus infection model capable of recapitulating a viral life cycle, comprising a virus-infected cell condensate, wherein the cell condensate is formed by culturing a tissue or organ cell in vitro. A method of screening for substances with antiviral activity, comprising using the virus infection model.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique that serves as a platform for inducing human organ cells at a low cost, stably and in a large quantity. A cell inducible after differentiating pluripotent stem cells and then passaging the resultant cells at least once or more times, which is negative for undifferentiated (pluripotent) cell markers NANOG, OCT4, MYC and LIN28A, negative for endoderm cell markers CXCR4, CER1, HHEX and GATA4, positive for intestinal endoderm cell markers CDX2 and HOXB9, negative for a mesenchymal cell marker brachyury (T), negative for a pancreatic cell marker PDX1, and capable of differentiating into at least a hepatocyte, a pancreatic cell and an intestinal cell. Also provided are methods of preparing and amplifying the above cells; a method of preparing organ cells using the above cells; and a method of constructing a working cell bank for preparing organ cells, comprising cryopreserving the above cells.