Abstract: A method of culturing a cell population containing cartilage-derived cells positive for expression of Tie2 (cartilage-derived Tie2-positive cells), the method including culturing a cell population containing cartilage-derived Tie2-positive cells in a culture medium containing at least one kind of Tie2 expression enhancer other than growth factors (e.g., an extract derived from a plant of the genus Cinnamomum). This culturing method is preferably performed in cultureware having a culture surface coated with a coating agent (e.g., a polylysine-containing agent).

Abstract: Preparing a cell population rich in cells having a given phenotype depending on their use (e.g., type II collagen-positive nucleus pulposus cells) from a cell population containing Tie2-positive stem/progenitor cells (e.g., nucleus pulposus stem/progenitor cells). The present invention provides culture methods wherein a cell population containing Tie2-positive stem/progenitor cells is cultured (1) while present in a non-digested tissue, (2) in a culture medium containing at least one kind of Tie2 expression enhancer other than growth factors, (3) using cultureware with a culture surface having undergone cell attachment-increasing treatment, or (4) while suppressing formation of spheroid colonies in a culture medium containing an extracellular matrix-degrading agent.

Abstract: There is provided an imaging technology allowing easy acquisition/storing of image data drawn in an arbitrary area by a user, without the use of a dedicated document sheet, where a restriction is hardly imposed on a document sheet in terms of design. There are included a camera that images an imaging object to which a symbol sheet including a predetermined symbol is attached, a central processing unit that detects the predetermined symbol from an original image of the imaging object imaged by the camera, that recognizes a predetermined area calculated based on the predetermined symbol as an image acquisition area, and that extracts, and acquires as image data, an image in the image acquisition area, and image data storage unit that stores the image data.