Abstract: The present invention provides methods to promote the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into insulin producing cells. In particular, the present invention provides a method to produce a population of cells, wherein greater than 80% of the cells in the population express markers characteristic of the definitive endoderm lineage.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of differentiating pluripotent cells into beta cell using suspension clustering. The methods of the invention use control of one or more of pH, cell concentration, and retinoid concentration to generate a nearly homogenous population of PDX1/NKX6.1 co-expressing cells by suppressing precocious NGN3 expression and promoting NKX6.1 expression. Also, the nearly homogenous population of PDX1/NKX6.1 co-expressing cells may be further differentiated in vitro to form a population of pancreatic endocrine cells that co-express PDX1, NKX6.1, insulin and MAFA.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for increasing the expression of MAFA in cells expressing markers characteristic of the pancreatic endocrine lineage comprising the steps of culturing the cells expressing markers characteristic of the pancreatic endocrine lineage in medium comprising a sufficient amount of a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor to cause an increase in expression of MAFA.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for increasing the expression of MAFA in cells expressing markers characteristic of the pancreatic endocrine lineage comprising the steps of culturing the cells expressing markers characteristic of the pancreatic endocrine lineage in medium comprising a sufficient amount of a cyclin-dependant kinase inhibitor to cause an increase in expression of MAFA.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of preparing aggregated pluripotent stem cell clusters for differentiation. Specifically, the invention discloses methods of differentiating pluripotent cells into beta cell, cardiac cell and neuronal cell lineages using suspension clustering. The methods involve preparing the aggregated cell clusters followed by differentiation of these clusters.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of preparing aggregated pluripotent stem cell clusters for differentiation.

Abstract: The effectiveness of an oxidative sterilization process is determined by exposing a known amount of a primary amine or aldehyde indicator chemical to an oxidative germicide. The oxidative germicide reacts with the indicator chemical. The amount of indicator chemical remaining after exposure to the germicide is determined by reacting the indicator chemical with a dye precursor chemical to form a colored product. The amount of indicator chemical remaining is determined from the intensity of the color of the colored product. The amount of indicator chemical remaining on the substrate is a measure of the effectiveness of the germicidal treatment. The dye precursor is an aldehyde when the indicator chemical is a primary amine and a primary amine when the indicator chemical is an aldehyde. An integrator for determining the effectiveness of the germicidal process includes an indicator chemical, where the indicator chemical is a primary amine or an aldehyde.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods to promote the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into insulin producing cells. In particular, the present invention provides a method to produce a population of cells, wherein greater than 80% of the cells in the population express markers characteristic of the definitive endoderm lineage.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods to produce pluripotent stem cells from adult cells. In particular, the present invention provides methods to produce pluripotent stem cells from somatic cells without the use of a feeder-cell layer or an agent that increases efficiency of retroviral transfection.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for the growth, expansion and differentiation of pluripotent stem cells on planar substrates lacking an adlayer and a feeder cell layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for increasing the expression of MAFA in cells expressing markers characteristic of the pancreatic endocrine lineage comprising the steps of culturing the cells expressing markers characteristic of the pancreatic endocrine lineage in medium comprising a sufficient amount of a cyclin-dependant kinase inhibitor to cause an increase in expression of MAFA.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of mammalian cell culture, and provides methods and compositions for cell attachment to, cultivation on and detachment from a solid substrate surface containing from at least about 0.5% N, a sum of O and N of greater than or equal to 17.2% and a contact angle of at least about 13.9 degrees, lacking a feeder cell layer and lacking an adlayer. In one embodiment of the present invention, the cells are treated with a compound capable of inhibiting Rho kinase activity. In another embodiment, the cells are treated with a compound capable of inhibiting Rho activity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of mammalian cell culture, and provides methods and compositions for cell attachment to, cultivation on and detachment from a solid substrate surface containing from at least about 0.5% N, a sum of O and N of greater than or equal to 17.2% and a contact angle of at least about 13.9 degrees, lacking a feeder cell layer and lacking an adlayer. In one embodiment of the present invention, the cells are treated with a compound capable of inhibiting Rho kinase activity. In another embodiment, the cells are treated with a compound capable of inhibiting Rho activity.

Abstract: The effectiveness of an oxidative sterilization process is determined by exposing a known amount of a primary amine or aldehyde indicator chemical to an oxidative germicide. The oxidative germicide reacts with the indicator chemical. The amount of indicator chemical remaining after exposure to the germicide is determined by reacting the indicator chemical with a dye precursor chemical to form a colored product. The amount of indicator chemical remaining is determined from the intensity of the color of the colored product. The amount of indicator chemical remaining on the substrate is a measure of the effectiveness of the germicidal treatment. The dye precursor is an aldehyde when the indicator chemical is a primary amine and a primary amine when the indicator chemical is an aldehyde. An integrator for determining the effectiveness of the germicidal process includes an indicator chemical, where the indicator chemical is a primary amine or an aldehyde.