Abstract: This disclosure provides an improved system for culturing human pluripotent stem cells. Traditionally, pluripotent stem cells are cultured on a layer of feeder cells (such as mouse embryonic fibroblasts) to prevent them from differentiating. In the system described here, the role of feeder cells is replaced by components added to the culture environment that support rapid proliferation without differentiation. Effective features are a suitable support structure for the cells, and an effective medium that can be added fresh to the culture without being preconditioned by another cell type. Culturing human embryonic stem cells in fresh medium according to this invention causes the cells to expand surprisingly rapidly, while retaining the ability to differentiate into cells representing all three embryonic germ layers. This new culture system allows for bulk proliferation of pPS cells for commercial production of important products for use in drug screening and human therapy.

Abstract: The invention describes the identification, making, and isolation of immunoglobulin and antigen useful for preventing, diagnosing, and treating staphylococcal infections. The invention further describes an in vivo animal model useful for testing the efficacy of pharmaceutical compositions, including pharmaceutical compositions of immunoglobulin and isolated antigen.

Abstract: The increased use of nucleotide sequence data mining techniques has amplified the demand for efficient methods of producing recombinant proteins in prokaryotic cells. A strategy is provided for enhancing the synthesis of recombinant amino acid sequences by improving translation from expression cassettes in vitro before producing recombinant hosts.

Abstract: The present invention provides an isolated, purified and characterized human tyrosine hydroxylase (hTH) promoter nucleic acid sequence. The invention further provides a method of selecting TH positive (TH+) cells by preparing a construct comprising a hTH promoter operably linked to a heterologous nucleic acid sequence, for example, green fluorescent protein encoding sequence, and transfecting cells, particularly stem cells, with the construct. The invention also provides a hTH promoter, useful in gene therapeutic applications in driving therapeutic genes or other nucleic acid sequences operably linked to the hTH promoter. Additionally, the invention provides cell lines and transgenic animals expressing a transgene comprising the hTH promoter operably linked to a heterologous sequence, which cell lines and transgenic animals are useful for isolating TH+ cells for transplantation or for screening of therapeutic agents that affect TH+ function.

Abstract: The invention relates to the exploitation of the migratory behavior of mononuclear phagocytes with a view to targeting therapeutic drug delivery. The invention therefore concerns the attachment or incorporation of a therapeutic agent to or into a mononuclear phagocyte and the subsequent migration of the munonuclear phagocyte to a target area.

Abstract: A method of modulating the transcription of one or more genes in a vascular or cardiac cell, wherein the method comprises a step of contacting the cell with a composition comprising one or more double-stranded nucleic acid(s) capable of sequence-specific binding to the transcription factor AP-1 and/or C/EBP or a related transcription factor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to artificial vascular grafts, methods for manufacturing and uses for them. The grafts are coated on their lumen with UP50. The grafts comprise an inner surface on which cells genetically altered to express or over-express one or more cell adhesion factors and one or more cell proliferation factors are seeded and cultured.

Abstract: A method for immunization using genetic material is disclosed. Compositions for genetic immunization comprising cationic lipids and polynucleotides are also disclosed. Methods for using genetic immunization to produce polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies are also disclosed. A method for epitope mapping is also disclosed.

Abstract: A non-human mammal which is usefully and effectively applicable to the screening of a substance to be employed for preventing and treating heart failure. This animal is an animal model of heart failure prepared by starting both coronary stenosis and the stenosis of arteries other than the coronary artery and the abdominal artery of a non-human mammal within the same period of time.

Abstract: This invention provides a DNA vaccine which comprises a naked DNA incorporating and expressing in vivo a nucleotide sequence encoding an antigenic polypeptide, preferably a gene of a pathogenic agent, and at least one adjuvant compound chosen from the polymers of acrylic or methacrylic acid and copolymers of maleic anhydride and alkenyl derivative. The adjuvant compound is preferably a carbomer or an EMA®. This invention also provides a method of enhancing a DNA vaccine and/or the immunogenicity of a DNA vaccine.

Abstract: The present invention relates non-toxic, non-toxigenic, non-pathogenic recombinant Fusarium host cells of the section Discolor or a teleomorph or synonym thereof, comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a heterologous protein operably linked to a promoter.

Abstract: The invention relates to polymers comprising metal-containing nucleic acid duplexes. Methods of using the metal-containing nucleic acid duplexes to provoke physiological responses in a host animal are provided, such as immunological methods that produce antibodies in the host.

Abstract: A cell composition of endocrine progenitor cells derived from mammalian pancreatic islet cells that can be trans-planted into a diabetic patient such that the cells of the cell composition differentiates into functioning insulin-producing beta cells.

Abstract: The protein RhoB and its variants as a supressor of cancer cell growth, inhibitor of malignant cell transformation, and modulator of oncogenic signaling, wherein introducing RhoB directly, or indirectly via a nucleic acid, into a malignantly transformed cell or a cancerous cell decreases phosphorylation of Erk and Akt proteins inhibiting the PI3-kinase/Akt cell survival pathway and promoting apoptotic cell death. Methods and compositions are disclosed for administering to cancer patients, a prophylactic treatment to minimize the risk of malignant transformation, and advantageous combination of RhoB therapy with existing cancer treatments. The protein RhoB and the variants of the present invention are prenylated with either geranylgeranyl or farnesyl, and provision is made for selection of the prenylating moiety.

Abstract: The first method to cause a culture of human and other primate stem cells to directly and uniformly differentiate into a committed cell lineage is disclosed. Treatment of primate stem cells with a single protein trophoblast induction factor causes the cells to transform into human trophoblast cells, the precursor cells of the placenta. Several protein factors including bone morphogenic protein 4 (BMP4), BMP2, BMP7, and growth and differentiation factor 5 can serve as trophoblast-inducting factors.

Abstract: The invention provides a swine which is homozygous for a major histocompatibility complex haplotype and at least 60% homozygous at all other genetic loci and such animal is propagatable, and a cell or an organ derived therefrom. The invention also provides a method for providing a swine which is homozygous at swine leukocyte antigens (SLA) A, B, C, DR, and DQ, and in which at least 60% of all other genetic loci are homozygous, as well as a method of inducing tolerance in a recipient mammal of a first species to a graft from a donor mammal of a second species.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel plant expression constructs. More specifically the present invention provides DNA constructs comprising 5? regulatory sequences for modulating the expression of operably linked genes in plants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to biocatalysts that are cells, optimally of the Crabtree-negative phenotype, comprising expression vectors encoding genes heterologous to the cell that enable increased production of organic products. More specifically, the invention relates to genetically modified Candida cells, methods for making the Candida cells, and their use in production of organic products, particularly lactic acid.

Abstract: The present invention concerns the use of the protein RhoB and its variants to inhibit cancer cell growth, migration, invasion, metastasis, malignant cell transformation, and/or to modulate oncogenic signaling, wherein introducing RhoB directly, or indirectly via a nucleic acid sequence encoding RhoB, into a malignantly transformed cell or a cancerous cell decreases phosphorylation of Erk and Akt proteins inhibiting the PI3-kinase/Akt cell survival pathway and promoting apoptotic cell death. In one aspect, the compositions and methods of the present invention are used to inhibit the malignant transformation of cells by the oncogenes H-Ras, N-Ras, K-Ras, EGFR, or ErbB2, or to inhibit the growth of cancer cells transformed by such oncogenes. The compositions and methods of the present invention may be used to inhibit cancer cell growth, inhibit malignant cell transformation, and modulate oncogenic signaling in vivo or in vitro.

Abstract: A transgenic mouse transformed with a DNA encoding a mutant human tau protein, wherein the mouse exhibits neurofibrillary tangles in its brain. The transgenic mouse is useful for the development of the agent for treating neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.