Abstract: Tendon and ligament injuries are common in orthopaedic clinical practice and cause substantial morbidity in sports and in routine daily activities. While surgical reconstruction is effective, the majority of patients suffer from a prolonged period of recovery because of limited regeneration capacity of the tendon-bone interface. Here, the Inventors have established an approach for promoting tendon/ligament integration. By first recruiting endogenous stem cells to the site of injury, bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs), are then delivered in vivo to promote repair. Significant acceleration of healing via the above methods and compositions leads to fast recovery and return to normal activities, thereby providing new therapeutic avenues for treatment of injuries involving the tendon-bone interface.

Abstract: This invention relates to the expansion of primary cholangiocytes in the form of cholangiocyte organoids (COs) using culture conditions in which canonical Wnt signalling is inhibited and non-canonical Wnt/PCP signalling is potentiated. Methods of expanding primary cholangiocytes, expanded populations of cholangiocytes and medical applications of expanded cholangiocytes are provided.

Abstract: This disclosure provides modified natural killer (NK) cells possessing both NK cell function and dendritic cell function and method of culturing the same. By administration of the modified NK cell, cancer cells in a subject may be effectively inhibited via cell-mediated immunity.

Abstract: The application describes a contractile cellular biomaterial that is particularly well suited to regenerative therapy of tissue affected by myocardial infraction. The biomaterial comprises a contractile tissue which is contained in an optionally porous solid substrate. The contractile tissue is formed by differentiating stem cells, in particular mesenchymal stem cells. In addition to being contractile, the biomaterial can have inducible paracrine activity. The biomaterial has, in particular, the advantage of not needing to be frozen in order to be conserved.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a heart organoid and/or a lung organoid, comprising the step of: culturing an embryoid body in the presence of an FGF protein on a surface of a gel containing an extracellular matrix constituent protein.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a medium and a method for inducing differentiation into functional cerebral cortical cells, wherein the medium comprises a neural medium and a nutritional supplement and the nutritional supplement is selected from a group consisting of SU5402, BIBF1120, IBMX and glucose. The method describes that specific factors such as an inhibitor of FGF signaling pathway, an inhibitor of VEGF signaling pathway and/or an activator of cAMP are added at specific time points during the induced differentiation process to accelerate the differentiation and maturation of the neural cells. Said method can produce stable and healthy neural cells with major functions at about 7 to 14 days after the initiation of the induced differentiation starting from human neural progenitor cells, with reduced manufacturing cost and shortened production time.

Abstract: Provided is a method of preparing a three-dimensional cell spheroid, the method including forming the cell spheroid by co-culturing adipose-derived stem cells or mesenchymal stem cells with hepatocytes. According to the cell spheroid prepared by the method, the secretome secreted by the adipose-derived stem cells affects hepatocyte maturation, and therefore, hepatic functions of the finally formed three-dimensional cell spheroid, i.e., organoid, may be enhanced. Further, a composition including a culture medium of the adipose-derived stem cells may prevent or treat liver diseases including hepatitis, hepatotoxicity, cholestasis, fatty liver, etc., and may enhance hepatic functions.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and compositions relating to the provision and/or differentiation of certain fully differentiated lung cell types, including surfactant producing cells (e.g. club secretory cells), mucus producing (Goblet) cells, mucus-producing goblet like cells, and beating ciliated cells. In some embodiments, one or more of the differentiated lung cell types is present in an organoid. Differentiation of these lung cell types can be induced by contacting lung stem and/or progenitor cells with one or more inhibitors of H3K9me1/2 methyltransferase, e.g., an inhibitor of G9a and/or G1p (EMHT2 and/or EHMT1).

Abstract: Disclosed is an ex-vivo model of inflamed skin, an in-vitro method for obtaining the same and uses thereof for screening anti-inflammatory compounds. The method includes injecting, into the dermis of a healthy skin biopsy previously taken from a mammal, a composition including an effective amount for activating dermal resident T cells of an anti-CD3 antibody and an anti-CD28 antibody; and b) incubating the injected skin biopsy obtained in step a) in the presence of a composition including an effective amount, for obtaining the polarization of the T cells activated in step a) into LTh1 and/or LTh17 and the synthesis of inflammation markers, of at least one mixture of IL-1?, IL-23, and TGF-?.

Abstract: The present invention relates to models of reconstructed sensitive skin reproducing the features of sensitive skin, as well as to processes for obtaining such models. The present invention further relates to in vitro processes for testing formulations or active ingredients for the prevention or treatment of sensitive skin.

Abstract: The present invention discloses the preparation of placenta tissue derived CD106high CD151+Nestin+ mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In a first aspect, the invention relates to a particular method to prepare these cells at industrial scale and the cell population generated thereby. In a second aspect, the invention relates to a cell culture obtained by said particular method, containing placental CD106high CD151+Nestin+ MSCs expressing the vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) marker. The present application shows that said placental CD106high CD151+Nestin+ MSCs are capable of inducing angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. The herein presented results also show that administering said placental CD106high CD151+Nestin+ MSCs to individuals suffering from an ischemic disease or from a disorder of the circulatory system results in a detectable improvement of one or more symptoms of said disease or disorder.

Abstract: Provided are chemical inducers of lineage reprogramming (CiLR) which include glycogen synthase kinase inhibitors, TGF? receptor inhibitors, cyclic AMP agonists or histone acetylators. Also provided is a method of inducing lineage reprograming in a partially or completely differentiated cell of a first type into a cell with characteristics of a second and different lineage. The method includes: contacting a cell with the CiLR for a sufficient period of time to result in reprograming the cell into a modified XEN-like cell which is subsequently programmed into a cell with characteristics of a second and different lineage.

Abstract: A serum-free complete medium for inducing differentiation of a mesenchymal stem cell to a corneal epithelial cell in the field of differentiation induction of stem cells, prepared by the following method: uniformly mixing the serum-free complete medium, containing 5-10 ?mol of resveratrol, 2-4 ?mol of icariin, 1-3 nmol of aspirin, 1-3 nmol of parathyroid hormone, 5-10 nmol of hydrocortisone, 1-3 mg of rapamycin, 2-10 ?g of testosterone, 2-10 ?g of EPO, 2-10 ?g of LIF and the balance of a corneal epithelial cell serum-free medium in per 1 L; and then performing sterilization by filtration.

Abstract: A collagen-fibronectin-based method enables the production of tumors of centimeter size with recognizable pathological traits. The method supports reproducing tumor heterogeneity with preinvasive and invasive phenotypes and stacking of tumor portions using a paper-scaffold with 80 ?m-punched holes for larger nodule creation and easy separation of tumor portions for analysis. Macrotumors are convenient for testing drug delivery and therapeutic tools that necessitate a minimum tumor size relevant to in vivo.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods to increase the culture density and/or thickness of a cellular biomass in a cultivation infrastructure, to improve the culture of cells in the absence of serum in a cultivation infrastructure, and to promote anchorage-independent growth of a cellular biomass in a cultivation infrastructure. The methods comprise inhibiting the HIPPO signaling pathway, for example, by activating YAP1, activating TAZ, and/or inhibiting MOB1, LATS1 kinase, LATS2 kinase, WW45, MST1 kinase, and/or MST2 kinase in the cellular biomass. In some embodiments, the cellular biomass is harvested from the cultivation infrastructure for the formulation of cell-based food products or ingredients, such as animal meat manufactured from cells in an ex vivo process or for therapeutic applications such as organ or tissue transplantation or grafting.

Abstract: Embodiments are described that relate to methods and systems for growing cells in a hollow fiber bioreactor. In embodiments, the cells may be exposed to a number of growth factors including a combination of recombinant growth factors. In other embodiments, the cells may be grown in co-culture with other cells, e.g., hMSC's. In embodiments, the cells may include CD34+ cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition comprising dendritic cells loaded with hHsp60sp, which dendritic cells are from a subject and have been fixed with paraformaldehyde (PFA). The subject may suffer from an autoimmune disease. Also provided are a method for preparing the composition; recombinant human cells comprising a heterologous gene encoding a fusion protein of HLA-E and hHsp60sp or B7sp, and expressing the fusion protein on the surface of the cells; a method for determining a percentage of maximum inhibition of testing the function of the HLA-E restricted CD8+ Treg cells from a subject, determining whether HLA-E restricted CD8+ Treg cells freshly isolated from a subject are defective, or determining whether defective HLA-E restricted CD8+ Treg cells from a subject are correctable; and a method for correcting defective HLA-E restricted CD8+ Treg cells, treating type 1 diabetes (T1D), or treating multiple sclerosis (MS).

Abstract: A method to obtain a composition comprising an enriched population of functional mesenchymal stem cells for hypothermic transport and local administration of said enriched population of functional mesenchymal stem cells in therapy. Finally also described is the use of said enriched population of functional mesenchymal stem cells, and compositions comprising them, obtained by the described method, in autologous or allogeneic treatment of diseases susceptible to mesenchymal stem cell therapy, either by local or systemic treatments, and more particularly in the treatment of osteoarticular diseases such as degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, and bone repair; in lupus erythematosus, graft-versus-host disease, and other autoimmune diseases; in peripheral vascular insufficiency and other cardiovascular diseases.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of preparing thymic organoids according to embodiments of the invention. Also disclosed are methods of preparing thymic emigrant cells in vitro, according to embodiments of the invention. Also disclosed are methods of treating or preventing a condition in a mammal, e g., cancer.

Abstract: The current invention provides for methods of promoting differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into esophageal progenitor cells as well as the cells obtained from the methods, solutions, compositions, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising such cells. The current invention also provides for methods of using the esophageal progenitor cells for treatment and prevention of disease, and kits.