Abstract: A major object of the present invention is to provide a method for inducing cell differentiation into corneal epithelial stem cells and/or corneal epithelial cells, for the easy production of a corneal epithelial cell sheet having superior safety in view of the possibility of vascularization and the like occurring. A method for inducing differentiation of a pluripotent stem cell into a corneal epithelial stem cell and/or a corneal epithelial cell, the method comprising the step of culturing a pluripotent stem cell in the presence of a stromal cell or an amnion-derived factor.

Abstract: A synthetic vitreous material contains a self-assembling peptide and a salt, and has an osmotic pressure of 40 mOsm/kg to 200 mOsm/kg. Such a synthetic vitreous material is not toxic to ocular tissue, is capable of maintaining an intraocular tamponade effect over a long term, and is easy to handle and inject into an eye of a patient.

Abstract: The present invention provides a collagen crosslinking agent superior in biocompatibility that is free from the damage by UV irradiation and also from the problems of toxicity caused by residual monomer or unreacted functional groups. Provided is a noncovalent collagen crosslinking agent (for fibrous protein collagen), comprising a spacer of a polyvalent alcohol having two or more OH groups at the terminals and arms of collagen peptides formed of repetitions of three amino acids, the arms being bound via the OH groups to the spacer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sheet for corneal transplants comprising corneal endothelial cells on a gelatin hydrogel, which is obtainable by seeding and culturing corneal endothelial cells on a gelatin hydrogel coated with collagen. The sheet of the present invention is extremely useful as a sheet for corneal transplants not only for its biocompatibility and biodegradability, but also for its high transparency.

Abstract: The present invention provides a feeder cell for target cell induction, wherein the feeder cell is transduced with an immortalizing gene and a suicide gene; and a production process for a target cell sheet using the feeder cell for target cell induction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to: a method for inducing differentiation into an epithelial progenitor cell/stem cell population or a corneal epithelial cell population by culturing, under particular conditions, induced pluripotent stem cells induced from mammalian somatic cells or undifferentiated stem cells; an epithelial progenitor cell/stem cell population or a corneal epithelial cell population obtained by the method; and a cell preparation for the treatment of epithelial disease and a cell sheet, which are prepared using these cell populations.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a collagen crosslinking agent superior in biocompatibility that is free from the damage by UV irradiation and also from the problems of toxicity caused by residual monomer or unreacted functional groups. [Means to Solve] Provided is a noncovalent collagen crosslinking agent (for fibrous protein collagen), comprising a spacer of a polyvalent alcohol having two or more OH groups at the terminals and arms of collagen peptides formed of repetitions of three amino acids, the arms being bound via the OH groups to the spacer.

Abstract: An improved process for producing a regenerated corneal endothelial cell sheet, comprising the steps of allowing corneal endothelial cells collected from a tissue to be cultivated on a cell culture support having its surface covered with a polymer of which the hydrating force varies in a temperature range of 0-80° C., and after the culture, (1) adjusting the temperature of the culture solution to the temperature at which the polymer on the substrate surface is hydrated, (2) bringing the cultured corneal endothelial cell sheet into close contact with a carrier, and (3) detaching the sheet together with the carrier. The regenerated corneal endothelial cell sheet obtained by the process will adhere very well to living tissues.

Abstract: The present invention has as its objective providing acorneal epithelium forming cell sheet that will adhere well to an anterior segment tissue. To attain this objective, a corneal epithelium forming cell sheet is produced by a process comprising the steps of cultivating under specified conditions corneal epithelium forming cells on a cell culture support comprising a substrate having its surface covered with a temperature responsive polymer of which the hydrating force varies in a temperature range of 0-80° C., optionally stratifying the layer of cultured cells, and thereafter, (1) adjusting the temperature of the culture solution to either above an upper critical dissolution temperature or below a lower critical dissolution temperature, (2) bringing the cultured corneal epithelium forming cells into close contact with a carrier, and (3) detaching the sheet together with the carrier under specified conditions.