Abstract: An observation device includes a microscope. The microscope includes an illumination light beam source, an illumination optical system, and an observation optical system forming an optical image of an observation target from reflected light beams obtained by reflection of illumination light beams by the observation target. The observation optical system includes a phase plate changing the phase of directly reflected light beams reflected on a reflection surface among the reflected light beams. Both the illumination optical system and the observation optical system are arranged under the observation target. The observation device includes an image pickup device photoelectrically converting the optical image obtained by the observation optical system to create image data of the observation target and a display device displaying the image data. The illumination light beam emitted from the illumination optical system is a collimated light beam.

Abstract: A cell sheet for transplantation into a living body, containing MSCs having an average cell density of 3.0×104 cells/cm2 or less on the surface of the sheet is provided. A method for producing a cell sheet for transplantation into a living body, including: a step of seeding MSCs on a cell culture carrier having a three-dimensional structure formed of fibers at a cell number of 3.0×105 cells/cm2 or less; and a step of culturing the MSCs and thereby preparing a cell sheet containing the MSCs having an average cell density of 3.0×104 cells/cm2 or less is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a synapse formation promoter and a brain plasticity promoter comprising CD24-negative mesenchymal stem cells prepared from a patient's own bone marrow aspirate and treatment of dementia, chronic-phase cerebral infarction, chronic-phase spinal cord injury, mental diseases, and the like using the synapse formation promoter and brain plasticity promoter.

Abstract: Provided is a novel structure containing mesenchymal stem cells that can be used in various applications. A hydrogel fiber (10) comprises a hydrogel (14) that contains mesenchymal stem cells.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for measuring a biomarker in a biological sample of the IPAF patient, wherein the biomarker comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of CXCL9 and CXCL10, and a measurement result of the biomarker is used as an index for determining treatment responsiveness to anti-inflammatory therapy.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing serum that exhibits improved cell proliferation activity. A method for producing serum for culturing mammalian cells, comprising: maintaining blood collected from a first mammal at a temperature between 15° C. and 25° C. for up to 48 hours and preparing serum from the blood.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a synapse formation promoter and a brain plasticity promoter comprising CD24-negative mesenchymal stem cells prepared from a patient's own bone marrow aspirate and treatment of dementia, chronic-phase cerebral infarction, chronic-phase spinal cord injury, mental diseases, and the like using the synapse formation promoter and brain plasticity promoter.

Abstract: A vascular baroreflex-related sympathetic activity (VBRSA) detection device, a VBRSA detection program, and a VBRSA detection method capable of detecting in a simple and non-invasive manner VBRSA, which is sympathetic nervous activity of a blood vessel involved in a baroreflex function, are provided. The VBRSA detection device detects the VBRSA based on pulse wave data on a biological artery and a beat interval corresponding to the pulse wave data. The VBRSA detection device includes a VBRSA-series detecting unit that detects, as a VBRSA series indicative of VBRSA, a series where, from among the series in which the beat interval increases or decreases by n (n is a natural number 3 or more) beats consecutively, a correlation coefficient for the beat interval and pulse wave data is greater than any positive threshold up to the (n-1)-th beat and the correlation coefficient at the n-th beat falls to or below the threshold.

Abstract: [Problem] To provide a cell preparation including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) having a high therapeutic effect. [Solution] A method for producing activated mesenchymal stem cells, including a step of culturing MSCs in a medium containing an activator that includes an extract from a mammalian fetal appendage as an active ingredient, using a cell culture carrier having a three-dimensional structure formed of a fiber is provided. A marker for a therapeutic effect of MSCs selected from the group consisting of p16ink4a, p14ARF, CDK4, CDK6, RB, and CD47, a method for determining a therapeutic effect using the marker, a method for determining suitability of MSCs to be treated with a treatment for enhancing a therapeutic effect of MSCs, a cell preparation including MSCs, and a method for producing the same are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for growing, rapidly and massively ex vivo, cells collected from a living subject to provide a safe and effective pharmaceutical preparation for biological tissue repair/regeneration. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method for growing cells in a sample collected from a living subject by culturing the cells in a medium containing allogeneic (including autogenic) serum. Preferably the allogeneic serum has been determined as being negative for a serum tumor marker and/or an infectious factors, and the amount of the anticoagulant (e.g., heparin, a heparin derivative, or a salt thereof) added to the collected sample is less than 5 U/mL with respect to the volume of the sample or the amount of the anticoagulant in the medium at the start of culture is less than 0.5 U/mL. The present invention further relates to use of the method.

Abstract: A molecular marker for detecting a cancer stem cell in a cell mass which is a subject of interest, wherein the molecular marker can be detected in a cancer stem cell contained in the subject of interest but cannot be detected in a normal cell and a cancer cell that is different from a cancer stem cell; a method for determining the presence or absence of a cancer stem cell in a subject of interest by using the molecular marker as an measure; a kit for determining the presence or absence of a cancer stem cell, which comprises at least a reagent for detecting the molecular marker; a polypeptide encoded by the molecular marker; an antibody capable of recognizing an epitope of an expression product of a gene derived from the molecular marker; a nucleic acid capable of inhibiting the expression of the molecular marker; and a nucleic acid vaccine comprising a gene derived from the molecular marker.

Abstract: There is provided a novel method for culturing a hepatic epithelioid tissue. The method uses a method for forming a hepatic epithelioid tissue having a structure of connections between hepatocytes and bile duct epithelial cells, comprising a step of culturing bile duct epithelial cells on a collagen gel, and a step of inoculating and culturing hepatocytes on the cultured bile duct epithelial cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. More specifically, the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises mesenchymal stem cells and is intravenously administered.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition containing mesenchymal stem cells administered to a patient subjected to stenting. The present invention relates specifically to: a pharmaceutical composition for repairing and regenerating tissue, comprising mesenchymal stem cells, wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered to a patient subjected to stenting; and the prevention of in-stent neointimal hyperplasia or in-stent restenosis with the pharmaceutical composition.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to: an antibody that specifically recognizes cancer stem cells; a pharmaceutical composition containing the antibody, in particular a pharmaceutical composition for treating cancer; the utilization of these; a method for treating cancer, the method targeting cancer stem cells; etc. The above problem was solved by providing an antibody that recognizes a complex of a cancer stem cell antigen peptide and an MHC, and a pharmaceutical composition containing the antibody as an active component.

Abstract: A cell sheet for transplantation into a living body, containing MSCs having an average cell density of 3.0×104 cells/cm2 or less on the surface of the sheet is provided. A method for producing a cell sheet for transplantation into a living body, including: a step of seeding MSCs on a cell culture carrier having a three-dimensional structure formed of fibers at a cell number of 3.0×105 cells/cm2 or less; and a step of culturing the MSCs and thereby preparing a cell sheet containing the MSCs having an average cell density of 3.0×104 cells/cm2 or less is also provided.

Abstract: It is intended to provide an antitumor drug having an excellent therapeutic effect, which is excellent in terms of antitumor effect and safety. There is provided an antibody-drug conjugate in which an antitumor compound represented by the following formula is conjugated to an anti-TROP2 antibody via a linker having a structure represented by the following formula: -L1-L2-LP-NH—(CH2)n1-La-(CH2)n2-C(?O)— wherein the anti-TROP2 antibody is connected to the terminal of L1, and the antitumor compound is connected to the carbonyl group of the —(CH2)n2-C(?O)— moiety with the nitrogen atom of the amino group at position 1 as a connecting position.

Abstract: An anti-adhesion material comprising decellularized tissues and a biocompatible polymer or fibrin glue; a method for preparing an anti-adhesion material comprising complexing a biocompatible polymer or fibrin glue to decellularized tissues; an anti-adhesion material kit comprising decellularized tissues and a biocompatible polymer or fibrin glue; a substitute biomembrane comprising decellularized tissues and a biocompatible polymer or fibrin glue; a method for preparing a substitute biomembrane comprising complexing a biocompatible polymer or fibrin glue to decellularized tissues; and a substitute biomembrane kit comprising decellularized tissues and a biocompatible polymer or fibrin glue.

Abstract: The object is to provide a tumor antigen peptide that is specifically presented on a cancer and a cancer stem cell, and a pharmaceutical composition, etc. that is useful for the prevention and/or treatment of a cancer and contains the above peptide as an active ingredient. The above object has been accomplished by providing a BORIS-derived partial peptide belonging to isoform A or C or subfamily 5 or 6, a polynucleotide encoding the peptide, a pharmaceutical composition containing the above as an active ingredient, and an agent for the prevention and/or treatment of a cancer, the agent containing the above as an active ingredient and inducing CTLs.

Abstract: It is intended to provide an antitumor drug having an excellent therapeutic effect, which is excellent in terms of antitumor effect and safety. There is provided an antibody-drug conjugate in which an antitumor compound represented by the following formula is conjugated to an anti-TROP2 antibody via a linker having a structure represented by the following formula: -L1-L2-LP-NH—(CH2)n1-La-(CH2)n2-C(?O)— wherein the anti-TROP2 antibody is connected to the terminal of L1, and the antitumor compound is connected to the carbonyl group of the —(CH2)n2-C(?O)— moiety with the nitrogen atom of the amino group at position 1 as a connecting position.