Abstract: A method for manufacturing a multilayered cell sheet characterized in fabricating a vascular bed that constructs a vascular network extending to the surface from a channel for perfusing a medium, the channel being embedded in a gel; and layering a cell sheet onto the vascular bed to construct a vascular network in the cell sheet. This manufacturing method makes it possible to construct a vascular network in the cell sheet and to fabricate a thick multilayered cell sheet in a simple manner by layering cell sheets. Such a thick multilayered cell sheet is useful as an in-vivo tissue substitute in regenerative medicine involving a variety of tissues.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a cell culture apparatus that can achieve appropriate culture conditions. The cell culture apparatus (1) includes: a cylindrical culture vessel (10) that holds a culture liquid containing cells; a supporting column (20) that stands upright in a center of an inner surface of a bottom (12) in the culture vessel; and a stirring device (30) that includes an attaching portion (32) that is attached to an upper portion of the supporting column so as to be rotatable relative to the supporting column and a stirring blade (34) whose upper portion is fixed to the attaching portion so as to rotate around the supporting column.

Abstract: The invention relates to low-molecular-weight compounds which are capable of inducing differentiation of mesenchymal stem cell into hepatocytes.

Abstract: A cell culturing device includes a culture tank, a shaft member at least partially disposed in the culture tank, a stirring mechanism supported by the shaft member, disposed in the culture tank, and a filter disposed in contact with the shaft member so as to suck the culture solution from the culture tank and/or to supply the culture solution to the culture tank. The shaft member is at least partially hollow, has openings to introduce the culture solution to the interior or to discharge the culture solution from the interior, and is unrotatable. Suction of the culture solution from the culture tank and/or supply of the culture solution to the tank is performed through the filter and the interior of the shaft member.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a brace being mounted on a person's body part and having a hard fitting surface. The apparatus also includes a load device, a support, a securing member, a brake, a switch device, and a soft film. The load device has a hard receiving surface receiving the fitting surface of the brace. The support movably supports the load device. The securing member secures the fitting surface to the receiving surface and enables the load device to move and follow movement of the person's body part and the brace against resistance applied from the support. The brake limits movement of the load device. The switch device switches operation modes of the apparatus, at least, between a free mode and a limiting mode. The soft film is arranged between the receiving and fitting surfaces for smooth movement of the person's body part on the load device in the limiting mode.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a cell composition for treatment of uterine tissue that heals damage occurring in uterine tissue, including intrauterine adhesion, to a state that enables pregnancy. In addition, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing this cell composition for treatment of uterine tissue, and a cell composition for treatment of uterine tissue produced according to that method. The cell composition, which has a first cell layer containing epithelial cells and a second cell layer containing stromal cells, and the first cell layer is laminated on the second cell layer, has the ability to heal damage occurring in uterine tissue, including intrauterine adhesion, and restore it to a state that enables pregnancy.

Abstract: A method of measuring a liquid level of a cell culture solution stored in a cell vessel, includes: irradiating the cell culture solution with at least two kinds of light beams including a first light beam having a first wavelength and a second light beam having a second wavelength; measuring a first absorbance of the cell culture solution with respect to the first light beam, and a second absorbance of the cell culture solution with respect to the second light beam; and determining a liquid level of the cell culture solution based on the first absorbance and the second absorbance.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to obtain an alternative to a substitute of the mucosa in the middle ear which is engrafted on the surface of the bone in the middle ear, hyperplasia of the granulation tissue and the bone and the development of the fibroblast cells in the middle ear are suppressed, and to obtain a middle ear mucosa-like cell sheet retaining cilia in the surface layer, comprising culturing nasal epithelium cells on a cell culture substrate coated with a polymer whose hydration force changes within a temperature range of 0 to 80° C., wherein the cells are cultured within a temperature range where the hydration force of the polymer is weak, and then changing the temperature to a temperature at which the hydration force is strong to recover the cultured cell sheet.

Abstract: A method of measuring a pH of a solution includes: emitting light beams of two wavelengths from one side of a measuring region of a solution into which an indicator is mixed, while pulsating the solution in the measuring region; receiving at least one of transmitted light beams and reflected light beams of the emitted light beams on the other side of the measuring region, while pulsating the solution in the measuring region; obtaining absorbances of the two wavelengths based on the received at least one of the transmitted light beams and the reflected light beams; obtaining an absorbance ratio from the obtained absorbances; and calculating a pH value of the solution based on the obtained absorbance ratio and an absorbance ratio/pH value correspondence database which is previously stored.

Abstract: A method for producing multilayered cell sheets, including producing a vascular bed which includes an artery-vein loop and in which a capillary vascular network is constructed; layering cell sheets on the vascular bed; and perfusing a culture medium in vitro to construct a vascular network in the cell sheets. The production method enables vascular networks to be constructed in cell sheets and enables thick multilayered cell sheets to foe easily produced by layering the cell sheets. Such thick multilayered cell sheets are useful as in vivo tissue-like products for regenerative medicine for various tissues and for evaluation of drugs and the like.

Abstract: A pH measuring method includes: illuminating a medium solution, which includes: a first material; and a second material, with a plurality of light beams, which includes: a first light beam, a wavelength of which corresponds to a first absorption peak; a second light beam, a wavelength of which corresponds to a second absorption peak or a second convergence point; a third light beam, a wavelength of which corresponds to a third absorption peak or a third convergence point; and a fourth light beam, a wavelength of the fourth light beam at which an absorbance of at least one of the first and second materials is converged irrespective of a pH; receiving transmitted or reflected light beams of the first to fourth light beams; measuring absorbances at the wavelengths of the received light beams respectively; and calculating a pH of the medium solution based on the absorbances.

Abstract: A processing system for cell cultures for carrying out cell/tissue culturing processes in the field of regenerative medicine, etc. which is a processing system for cell cultures which prevents viruses and human-derived cells, etc. other than a culturing processing target from entering the interior of a closed space from outside of the system to maintain sterility, maintains sealability of the closed spaces of modules, and couples or detaches the plurality of modules in accordance with a wide variety of cell culturing processing steps so that cell culturing processes can be carried out by combining the plurality of culturing processing modules is provided.

Abstract: To form a temperature-responsive surface for cell culture by simple processes, said temperature-responsive surface for cell culture being capable of efficiently culturing cells. Cultured cells or a cell sheet can be efficiently removed from the temperature-responsive surface for cell culture by merely changing the temperature of the substrate surface. To coat the substrate surface with a block copolymer, in which a water insoluble polymer segment is coupled with a temperature-responsive polymer segment, in an amount of 0.8 to 3.0 ?g/cm2 of the temperature-responsive polymer.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to create an immune tolerance-inducing agent used in therapy in which donor hematopoietic cells are transplanted into a recipient in order to induce immune tolerance in the recipient with respect to donor cells, tissue, or organs. By using an alpha-galactosylceramide-containing liposome in combination with a costimulatory-pathway-blocking substance, hematopoietic chimerism can be induced in the recipient by transplantation of donor hematopoietic cells, making it possible to induce immune tolerance in the recipient with respect to donor cells, tissue, or organs.

Abstract: With the present invention the sheet shaped therapeutic substance can be accurately and easily affixed to the inside of the human body. As shown in FIG. 6A, the sheet shaped substance can be mounted on the head with wrinkles being formed. When this takes place, the sheet shaped substance is held in contact with the outer periphery of the head. Then, by making the pressure of the fluid inside the vent apertures positive, the sheet shaped substance can be blown off. The surface of the head is closely parallel to an inner surface of the esophagus wall for the sheet shaped substance to be affixed. Therefore, this particularly makes it possible to perform such applying step (FIG. 6B) in a more reliable fashion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a cell culture apparatus that can achieve appropriate culture conditions. The cell culture apparatus (1) includes: a cylindrical culture vessel (10) that holds a culture liquid containing cells; a supporting column (20) that stands upright in a center of an inner surface of a bottom (12) in the culture vessel; and a stirring device (30) that includes an attaching portion (32) that is attached to an upper portion of the supporting column so as to be rotatable relative to the supporting column and a stirring blade (34) whose upper portion is fixed to the attaching portion so as to rotate around the supporting column.

Abstract: This invention provides a cell pattern recovery tool comprising a base material layer having a surface subjected to easy adhesion treatment, a temperature responsive polymer layer that is provided on the base material layer and has a surface subjected to silane treatment, and a cell adhesion inhibiting material layer provided on the temperature responsive polymer layer. According to the present invention, a cell pattern can be rapidly recovered while maintaining the cell pattern stably and reliably under minimally invasive conditions for the cells.

Abstract: A cell culture system having a cell culture vessel, a composition controlling fluid storage vessel, a culture fluid composition controlling means having an inlet and an outlet for a cell culture fluid, an inlet-connected fluid feeding circuit from the cell culture vessel to the inlet of the culture fluid composition controlling means, an outlet-connected fluid feeding circuit from the cell culture vessel to the outlet of the culture fluid composition controlling means, a means which perfuses the cell culture fluid from the inlet-connected fluid feeding circuit to the outlet-connected fluid feeding circuit through the culture fluid composition controlling means, and a means which controls the amount of fluid in the cell culture vessel, in which compositions of the cell culture fluid in the cell culture vessel and compositions of the composition controlling fluid in the composition controlling fluid storage vessel can be controlled in a continuous manner.

Abstract: Provided is a means for evaluating the wetting characteristic of an object such as a cell sheet and a culture dish in a non-contact fashion. The wetting characteristic of an object is evaluated by a method comprising the steps of: (1) removing a liquid by jetting a gas at a surface of the object covered with the liquid, (2) measuring a dimension of a region in which the liquid is removed after the completion of the gas jetting and (3) evaluating the wetting characteristic of the object using the measured dimension as an index.

Abstract: Disclosed is a composition for treating pancreatic cancer. The composition comprises a pharmaceutically effective amount of an antisense nucleic acid or siRNA that inhibits expression of at least one gene selected from the group consisting of SON gene, MCM5 gene, WDR5 gene, PBK gene and CENPA gene. The composition inhibits the expression of a specific gene to provide the effect of inhibiting the proliferation, survival and tumorigenicity of pancreatic cancer cells.