Abstract: Facing no ethical obstacle and easily to be isolated, multipotent concretely mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are one of the most powerful tools in reconstructive medicine. Here the inventors introduced 3D multicelluar spheroids culture construction based on photolithography and micropatterning techniques to improve multipotent differentiation efficiency of MSCs to adult cells. This invention, the 3D spheroid cultured construction for MSCs, leads to great improve of the differentiation efficiency. This invention relates to a cultured cell construct comprising a support; at least one island on the support; a hydrophilic and cytophobic substance applied on the surface of said support so as to encircle the island; and a spheroid which is derived from MSCs, said spheroid being in contact with the island.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an electrostatically bonded vesicle which bears disulfide bonds or thiol groups. The present invention relates to a vesicle having a membrane which is formed from both a first polymer of (a) or (b) and a second polymer of (c) or (d) (with the proviso that a combination of (b) and (d) is excepted) and in which the cationic segment and anionic segment of the polymers are partially crosslinked. First polymer: (a) a block copolymer (I) having both an electrically non-charged hydrophilic segment and a cationic segment, (b) an amino acid polymer (I) having a cationic segment. Second polymer: (c) a block copolymer (II) having both an electrically non-charged hydrophilic segment and an anionic segment, (d) an amino acid polymer (II) having an anionic segment.

Abstract: An excellent nucleic acid delivery composition is provided which has reduced cytotoxicity and improved nucleic acid introduction efficiency and gene expression efficiency. The composition comprises: a block copolymer having an uncharged hydrophilic polymer segment and a cationic polymer segment; a cationic polymer; and a nucleic acid, wherein the mol percentage (B/H ratio) of the cationic groups of the block copolymer to the total cationic groups of the block copolymer and the cationic polymer is between 25% and 90%.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a block copolymer containing an uncharged hydrophilic polymer chain block and a cationic polyamino acid chain block, wherein the hydrophilic polymer chain block is covalently bound to one end of the main chain of the polyamino acid chain block, and the hydrophobic group is covalently bound to the side chains of not less than 10% and not greater than 70% of amino acid repeating units in the polyamino acid chain block. This block copolymer forms a stable aggregate with siRNA, a small-molecule nucleic acid, under a physiological condition.

Abstract: Disclosed are a sugar-responsive gel and a medicine administering device having a pKa more suitable for use in a body environment and capable of administering medicine more autonomously than before. A sugar-responsive gel and an insulin administering device having a pKa more suitable for use in a body environment and capable of administering insulin more autonomously than before, wherein under a body condition of pKa of 7.4 or less and temperature of 35° C.-40° C., when the glucose concentration increases, insulin can be released from a gel body in response thereto, and when the glucose concentration decreases, insulin release from the gel body can be suppressed.

Abstract: The invention provides block copolymers formed of poly(ethylene glycol) segments and poly(amino acid derivative) segments having side chains of at least one kind of specific amine residue. The invention also provides polyion complexes of such copolymers with polynucleotides and the like. These block copolymers are useful as carriers for in vivo delivery of active substances such as DNA.

Abstract: The present invention relates to magnetic fine particles having a lower critical solution temperature to which at least one substance selected from biotin and avidin is immobilized, and a method of converting a substance, a method of separating or concentrating a microorganism, a method of modifying a denatured protein, a method of detecting a nucleic acid, a separating agent, and a method of separating a biological substance using the same.

Abstract: Disclosed are a phenylboronic acid monomer and a phenylboronic acid polymer, each of which can have a pKa value suitable for the use under physiological environments and can be used for various applications. The pheanylboronic acid monomer has a structure represented by formula (13) and therefore has high hydrophilicity, can have a satisfactorily low pKa value when the phenyl ring is fluorinated, and can have a polymerizable unsaturated bond. The phenylboronic acid monomer has high hydrophilicity at a pKa value of 7.4 or less which is a physiological level, and can be polymerized with a wide variety of monomers to produce polymers suitable for the intended purposes.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a vesicle which is excellent in structure stability and environmental responsiveness and also can be produced by a simple operation. More particularly, the present invention discloses a vesicle comprising a membrane formed of a first block copolymer containing a non-chargeable hydrophilic segment and a chargeable segment, and a second block copolymer containing a non-chargeable hydrophilic segment and a chargeable segment having an electric charge which is opposite to that of the chargeable segment of the first block copolymer.

Abstract: The combined use of a TGF-? signaling inhibitor and an antitumor active substance or an imaging agent modified by a drug-encapsulating macromolecular micelle, or the like, is provided. The selective delivery capability of the antitumor active substance or the imaging agent to the target is improved, increasing the antitumoral activity in the target.

Abstract: There are provided an anionic polymer, a polyion complex, and a ternary polymer composite, each of which is stable in a biological environment and is capable of realizing small RNA delivery without causing any undesired immune response. An anionic polymer according to an embodiment of the invention includes: a main chain which includes repeating units having carboxyl groups; and a side chain which is linked with part of the carboxyl groups in the main chain and is represented by the following formula: -A-B—X where : A represents a residue having one or more aminoethyl bonds; B represents an in vivo cleavable bond; and X represents a small RNA. A polyion complex according to an embodiment of the invention includes the anionic polymer as described above and a cationic polymer. A ternary polymer composite according to an embodiment of the invention includes the polyion complex as described above and a charge conversional polymer.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a gene delivery system with higher safety and higher sustainability, which is effective for the treatment of ischemic diseases and the like, and the like. The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition containing, as an active ingredient, a polyanionic substance that suppresses expression of PHD2, and containing a polyion complex of the polyanionic substance and a polycation chargeable polymer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cationic polyamino acid suitable for a carrier that can form a stable complex with a nucleic acid under a physiological condition and release the nucleic acid in cells suitably. The cationic polyamino acid can associate with a nucleic acid and includes a cationic amino acid residue having a cationic group in a side chain and a hydrophobic amino acid residue having a hydrophobic group in a side chain. The cationic polyamino acid includes 1 to 20 units of the cationic amino acid residue and is represented by the following formula (1). The meaning of each symbol in the formula is as shown in the description.

Abstract: Disclosed is a siRNA-encapsulating polymeric micelle complex (a polyion complex) having high monodispersibility and structural stability and excellent in the ability of transporting siRNA into a cell. Further disclosed are a nucleic acid delivery device, a nucleic acid delivery kit, a pharmaceutical composition, and a gene therapy agent, each of which uses the complex. The polyion complex is characterized by comprising: a block copolymer composed of a polyethylene glycol moiety and a polycation moiety having a thiol group as a side chain at the terminus; and siRNA.

Abstract: Provided are a delivery system that is useful in delivering a double-stranded ribonucleic acid that functions in gene silencing in glomeruli, particularly in mesangial cells and the like, to the tissue or cells, and the like. A polyion complex in the form of a non-polymeric micelle consisting of a double-stranded ribonucleic acid and a block copolymer represented by the formula (I) or (II) below, which are electrostatically bound together, wherein the polyion complex has an average particle diameter of less than 100 nm as measured by a dynamic light scattering measuring method: wherein each symbol is as defined in the specification.

Abstract: Fine particles of crystalline polyol are provided having a cationic polymer fixed on the crystal surfaces. These fine particles can stably carry an anionically charged compound on their surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention provides an efficient delivery system for a nucleic acid, more specifically, a cationic poly(amino acid) that has a side chain having a plurality of different amine functional groups in a moiety including a cationic group and that has a hydrophobic group introduced into part of the side chain, and a polyion complex (PIC) of the poly(amino acid) and an oligo- or polynucleotide.

Abstract: The present invention provides a protein delivery means (e.g., a polyion complex) which allows efficient introduction into cells (particularly into the cytoplasm), is highly stable in serum, and is also widely applicable. The polyion complex of the present invention comprises a cationic polymer having a polycation moiety and a charge-conversional protein whose overall charge is converted from basic or neutral to acidic by a specific charge regulator.

Abstract: A coordinate complex of diaminocyclohexane platinum (II) with a block copolymer comprising a poly(ethylene glycol) segment and a poly(carboxylic acid) segment is provided. The complex can be effectively used in treatments for tumors, in particular malignant tumors.

Abstract: A liquid composition containing a polymer micelle and having a pH values of 3.0 to 7.0 is provided. The micelle is constituted of a coordination compound having a block copolymer of polyethylene glycol and polyglutamic acid and cisplatin that is coordinate-bonded to the block copolymer.