Abstract: This disclosure provides a technology for making a dendritic cell vaccine suitable for high volume manufacturing and distribution. Human stem cells are differentiated in a multi-step protocol to generate cell populations bearing a dendritic cell phenotype. The cells are loaded by pulsing with a specific tumor antigen, or by activation of an inducible transgene. The primed dendritic cells are powerful components of a vaccination strategy to elicit an immune response against tumor-associated antigens like telomerase. Vaccines and reagent combinations prepared according to this invention can be used on demand as off-the-shelf products for treating cancer.

Abstract: This invention provides a system for producing differentiated cells from a stem cell population for use wherever a relatively homogenous cell population is desirable. The cells contain an effector gene under control of a transcriptional control element (such as the TERT promoter) that causes the gene to be expressed in relatively undifferentiated cells in the population. Expression of the effector gene results in expression of a cell-surface antigen that can be used to deplete the undifferentiated cells. Model effector sequences encode glycosyl transferases that synthesize carbohydrate xenoantigen or alloantigen, which can be used for immunoseparation or as a target for complement-mediated lysis. The differentiated cell populations produced are suitable for use in tissue regeneration and non-therapeutic applications such as drug screening.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a technology for making a dendritic cell vaccine suitable for high volume manufacturing and distribution. Human stem cells are differentiated in a multi-step protocol to generate cell populations bearing a dendritic cell phenotype. The cells are loaded by pulsing with a specific tumor antigen, or by activation of an inducible transgene. The primed dendritic cells are powerful components of a vaccination strategy to elicit an immune response against tumor-associated antigens like telomerase. Vaccines and reagent combinations prepared according to this invention can be used on demand as off-the-shelf products for treating cancer.

Abstract: This invention provides a system for selecting a cell that has undergone genetic alteration by homologous recombination from amongst a population of cells that do not have the alteration. The successfully targeted cells are identified and separated according to surface glycosylation that has changed as a result of the homologous recombination. The recombination event may inactivate an endogenous gene, or introduce a transgene, either of which encodes a carbohydrate modulating enzyme, such as ?(1,3)galactosyltransferase or ?(1,2)fucosyltransferase. Altering carbohydrate modulating enzymes can be done for producing tissue with altered carbohydrate determinants, or as a means for tracking inactivation or insertion of other genetic elements for a variety of purposes.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a technology for making a dendritic cell vaccine suitable for high volume manufacturing and distribution. Human stem cells are differentiated in a multi-step protocol to generate cell populations bearing a dendritic cell phenotype. The cells are loaded by pulsing with a specific tumor antigen, or by activation of an inducible transgene. The primed dendritic cells are powerful components of a vaccination strategy to elicit an immune response against tumor-associated antigens like telomerase. Vaccines and reagent combinations prepared according to this invention can be used on demand as off-the-shelf products for treating cancer.