Abstract: The present invention provides a method for inducing osteogenic differentiation, the method comprising the following steps of: (1) culturing pluripotent stem cells under feeder-free conditions, (2) culturing the cells in a mixed culture medium of an osteogenic induction medium and a pluripotent stem cell medium, the mixed culture medium containing a ROCK inhibitor and a retinoic acid receptor ? or ? agonist, and (3) culturing the cells in an osteogenic induction medium containing the retinoic acid receptor ? or ? agonist. The method for inducing osteogenic differentiation according to the present invention is a simple, short-term, highly efficient and highly reproducible one-procedure method for inducing osteogenic differentiation, wherein the method is suitable for bone regeneration therapies, the development of bone metabolic drugs and the development of novel therapies for bone diseases.

Abstract: Provided is a method of predicting differentiation potential of undifferentiated iPS cells into cartilage cells. Provided is a genetic marker for predicting differentiation potential of undifferentiated iPS cells into cartilage cells. A method of predicting differentiation potential of undifferentiated iPS cells into cartilage cells based on gene expression data of the undifferentiated iPS cells. A method of predicting differentiation potential of undifferentiated iPS cells into cartilage cells by predicting differentiation potential of the iPS cells into neural crest cells (NC cells) based on gene expression data of the undifferentiated iPS cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides a limb bud mesenchymal cell population, which is derived from mammalian lateral plate mesoderm cells, and is PRRX1 protein-positive.

Abstract: A plurality of metabolites contained in culture supernatants of a plurality of iPS cell clones whose differentiation efficiency into chondrocytes or neural crest cells is known is quantified, and a relationship between the measured values of the plurality of metabolites obtained by the quantification and the differentiation efficiencies is subjected to a multivariate analysis, and a model for predicting a differentiation efficiency of iPS cells is constructed. Furthermore, the plurality of metabolites contained in a culture supernatant of a test cell group including a single type of iPS cell clones is quantified, and the values, obtained by the quantification, are applied to the model, thereby predicting a differentiation efficiency of the test cell group into chondrocytes or neural crest cells. This makes it possible to predict the differentiation efficiency of iPS cells into chondrocytes or neural crest cells in a short time.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva comprising as an active ingredient, at least one compound selected from the group consisting of rapamycin, temsirolimus, everolimus, ridaforolimus, TAFA93, umirolimus, olcorolimus, zotarolimus, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for inducing osteogenic differentiation, the method comprising the following steps of: (1) culturing pluripotent stem cells under feeder-free conditions, (2) culturing the cells in a mixed culture medium of an osteogenic induction medium and a pluripotent stem cell medium, the mixed culture medium containing a ROCK inhibitor and a retinoic acid receptor ? or ? agonist, and (3) culturing the cells in an osteogenic induction medium containing the retinoic acid receptor ? or ? agonist. The method for inducing osteogenic differentiation according to the present invention is a simple, short-term, highly efficient and highly reproducible one-procedure method for inducing osteogenic differentiation, wherein the method is suitable for bone regeneration therapies, the development of bone metabolic drugs and the development of novel therapies for bone diseases.

Abstract: Mesenchymal stem cells may be culture for a long period, without using any special apparatus, equipment and the like, in a medium in which seven kinds of nonessential amino acids of glycine, alanine, serine, proline, asparagine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid are reduced.

Abstract: Provided is a method of predicting differentiation potential of undifferentiated iPS cells into cartilage cells. Provided is a genetic marker for predicting differentiation potential of undifferentiated iPS cells into cartilage cells. A method of predicting differentiation potential of undifferentiated iPS cells into cartilage cells based on gene expression data of the undifferentiated iPS cells. A method of predicting differentiation potential of undifferentiated iPS cells into cartilage cells by predicting differentiation potential of the iPS cells into neural crest cells (NC cells) based on gene expression data of the undifferentiated iPS cells.

Abstract: The invention provides a prophylactic agent or therapeutic agent for fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, containing as an active ingredient a binding inhibitor that inhibits interaction between activin and activin A receptor type I (ACVR1), or an expression suppressor that suppresses expression of activin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva comprising as an active ingredient, at least one compound selected from the group consisting of rapamycin, temsirolimus, everolimus, ridaforolimus, TAFA93, umirolimus, olcorolimus, zotarolimus, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

Abstract: A method of screening for a therapeutic and/or preventive drug for cartilaginous hyperplasia and a therapeutic and/or preventive drug for cartilaginous hyperplasia are provided. The following are provided: a method of screening for a therapeutic and/or preventive drug for cartilaginous hyperplasia, comprising a step of culturing chondroprogenitor cells under conditions in which the cells are brought into contact with a test substance and conditions in which the cells are not brought into contact with the test substance and a step of determining the SOX9 promoter activity, cAMP level, or degree of phosphorylation of CREB in the cells or the extracellular matrix volume in a culture; and a therapeutic and/or preventive drug for cartilaginous hyperplasia, comprising as an active ingredient an adenylate cyclase inhibitor.

Abstract: The invention provides a prophylactic agent or therapeutic agent for fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, containing as an active ingredient a binding inhibitor that inhibits interaction between activin and activin A receptor type I (ACVR1), or an expression suppressor that suppresses expression of activin.

Abstract: Mesenchymal stem cells may be culture for a long period, without using any special apparatus, equipment and the like, in a medium in which seven kinds of nonessential amino acids of glycine, alanine, serine, proline, asparagine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid are reduced.

Abstract: A method of screening for a therapeutic and/or preventive drug for cartilaginous hyperplasia and a therapeutic and/or preventive drug for cartilaginous hyperplasia are provided. The following are provided: a method of screening for a therapeutic and/or preventive drug for cartilaginous hyperplasia, comprising a step of culturing chondroprogenitor cells under conditions in which the cells are brought into contact with a test substance and conditions in which the cells are not brought into contact with the test substance and a step of determining the SOX9 promoter activity, cAMP level, or degree of phosphorylation of CREB in the cells or the extracellular matrix volume in a culture; and a therapeutic and/or preventive drug for cartilaginous hyperplasia, comprising as an active ingredient an adenylate cyclase inhibitor.

Abstract: The present invention relates an agent for treating cartilage-related disease comprising as an active ingredient a substance having an EP2 and/or EP3 agonist activity. A substance having an agonist activity to EP2 and/or EP3 has effects of stimulating chondrogenesis, stimulating chondrocyte growth, stimulating chondrocyte differentiation, inhibiting cartilage calcification and inhibiting cartilage degradation, or effects of stimulating integrin mRNA expression, stimulating fibronectin mRNA expression, stimulating D1 mRNA expression and inhibiting osteopontin mRNA expression, and, therefore, is useful as an agent for treating cartilage-related disease.

Abstract: Disclosed is a tissue-derived biomaterial carrier device (1) comprising a carrier case 810), an arm (125) provided upright on an interior bottom wall surface of the carrier case (10), a mounting part (121), a swing mechanism (122), a temperature control box (20) provided detachably on an exterior wall surface of the carrier case (10), and a heater (201) provided in the temperature control box (20). The mounting part (121) receives the mounting of a housing vessel in which a tissue-derived biomaterial is housed (an opening part (121a)). The swing mechanism (122) swingably supports the mounting part (121) relative to the arm (125). With the temperature control box (20) mounted on the carrier case (10), the heater (201) in the temperature control box (20) receives the supply of electric power from a battery (203) and regulates the temperature within the carrier case (10).

Abstract: The present invention relates to uses of sarcopodin as a gene associated with distant metastasis or prognosis for survival in tumors. Specifically, the present invention provides a method of determining the risk of distant metastasis or prognosis for survival in a tumor, comprising measuring the expression level of sarcopodin in a tumor tissue. Furthermore, the present invention provides an agent for inhibiting metastasis containing a polynucleotide complementary to an mRNA that encodes sarcopodin or an expression vector capable of expressing the polynucleotide.

Abstract: The present invention relates an agent for treating cartilage-related disease comprising as an active ingredient a substance having an EP2 and/or EP3 agonist activity. A substance having an agonist activity to EP2 and/or EP3 has effects of stimulating chondrogenesis, stimulating chondrocyte growth, stimulating chondrocyte differentiation, inhibiting cartilage calcification and inhibiting cartilage degradation, or effects of stimulating integrin mRNA expression, stimulating fibronectin mRNA expression, stimulating D1 mRNA expression and inhibiting osteopontin mRNA expression, and, therefore, is useful as an agent for treating cartilage-related disease.