Abstract: A first terminal determines a collection date of a somatic cell based on a desired collection date and a collectable date transmitted by a second medium; and outputs the collection date to a first medium. A second terminal outputs the collectable date to the second medium; and determines an acceptance date based on the collection date transmitted by the first medium and a production period of an iPS cell transmitted by a third medium. A third terminal determines the production period based on the collection date and a producible period, and determines a shipment date based on the production period and stockable location and period transmitted by a fourth medium; and outputs the production period to the third medium. A fourth terminal outputs the stockable location and period to the fourth medium; and determines stock location and period based on the production period and the stockable location and period.

Abstract: An insurance management system comprising an insurance management server, the insurance management server having a receiving unit that receives payment of a prescribed amount over a prescribed time period from a user, a preparation request transmitter that transmits a preparation request by the client for specific cells to a cell management server that manages preparation of the specific cells, when accumulation of payments by the user received at the receiving unit satisfies a first condition, and a usage request transmitter that transmits a usage request by the client for the specific cells to the cell management server, when accumulation of payments received at the receiving unit satisfies a second condition which is a condition of a larger amount or a longer period than the first condition.

Abstract: A first terminal determines a collection date of a somatic cell based on a desired collection date and a collectable date transmitted by a second medium; and outputs the collection date to a first medium. A second terminal outputs the collectable date to the second medium; and determines an acceptance date based on the collection date transmitted by the first medium and a production period of an iPS cell transmitted by a third medium. A third terminal determines the production period based on the collection date and a producible period, and determines a shipment date based on the production period and stockable location and period transmitted by a fourth medium; and outputs the production period to the third medium. A fourth terminal outputs the stockable location and period to the fourth medium; and determines stock location and period based on the production period and the stockable location and period.

Abstract: A system for an iPS cell bank includes a terminal and a server. The terminal receives and sends a production request including a desired collection date of a somatic cell and a customer ID to the server. The server stores a collectable date for collecting the somatic cell, a producible period for producing an iPS cell, and a location and a stockable period for stocking the iPS cell; and determines: a collection date based on the desired collection date and the collectable date; a production period based on the collection date and the producible period; an acceptance date of the somatic cell based on the collection date and the production period; a stock location and a stock period based on the production period, the stockable location, and the stockable period; and a shipment date of the iPS cell based on the production period, the stockable location, and the stockable period.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for forming cell aggregates. In the method, two or more clusters of cells are distributed into each of two or more compartments. The two or more clusters of cells are brought close to each other in each of the compartments. The two or more clusters of cells brought close to each other are clumped or assembled. The clumped or assembled clusters of cells are allowed to grow to thereby form cell aggregates. The clusters of cells to be distributed are separated from each other and mixed with each other. The clusters of cells each include a stem cell.

Abstract: The present invention provides a stem cell manufacturing system comprising: a sending channel (20) through which a solution containing cells flows; an apparatus (30) which is connected to the sending channel (20) and transfers a pluripotency inducer into the cells to produce cells harboring the inducer; and an apparatus (40) which cultures the cells harboring the inducer to produce cell clusters consisting of stem cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of improving iPS cell establishment efficiency, comprising contacting a protein involved in primitive streak (PrS) formation, preferably Foxh1, or a nucleic acid that encodes the same with a somatic cell in a nuclear reprogramming step. Also provided is a method of producing an iPS cell, comprising contacting the protein involved in PrS formation or a nucleic acid that encodes the same, and nuclear reprogramming substance(s) with a somatic cell.

Abstract: A stem cell production system provided with a preintroduction cell-feeding solution channel 20 through which a solution containing cells passes, an induction factor-feeding solution mechanism 21 for feeding a pluripotency induction factor to the preintroduction cell-feeding solution channel 20, a factor introduction device 30 connected to the preintroduction cell-feeding solution channel 20 for making cells with induction factor introduced by introducing the pluripotency induction factor into the cells, a cell mass-making device 40 for making multiple cell masses comprising stem cells by culturing the cells with induction factor introduced, and a packaging device 100 for sequentially packaging each of the multiple cell masses.

Abstract: A stem cell manufacturing system for manufacturing stem cells from somatic cells includes: one or more closed production device(s) configured to produce stem cells from somatic cells; one or more drive device(s) configured to be connected with the production device(s) and drive the production device(s) in such a manner as to maintain the production device(s) in an environment suitable for producing stem cells; one or more cryopreservation device(s) configured to cryopreserve the produced stem cells; a first memory device configured to store whether or not somatic cells have been introduced to the production device(s), as a first state; a second memory device configured to store whether or not the production device(s) is/are connected with the drive device(s), as a second state; and a third memory device configured to store whether or not the produced stem cells can be placed in the cryopreservation device(s), as a third state.

Abstract: A first terminal determines a collection date of a somatic cell based on a desired collection date and a collectable date transmitted by a second medium; and outputs the collection date to a first medium. A second terminal outputs the collectable date to the second medium; and determines an acceptance date based on the collection date transmitted by the first medium and a production period of an iPS cell transmitted by a third medium. A third terminal determines the production period based on the collection date and a producible period, and determines a shipment date based on the production period and stockable location and period transmitted by a fourth medium; and outputs the production period to the third medium. A fourth terminal outputs the stockable location and period to the fourth medium; and determines stock location and period based on the production period and the stockable location and period.

Abstract: A system for an iPS cell bank includes a terminal and a server. The terminal receives and sends a production request including a desired collection date of a somatic cell and a customer ID to the server. The server stores a collectable date for collecting the somatic cell, a producible period for producing an iPS cell, and a location and a stockable period for stocking the iPS cell; and determines: a collection date based on the desired collection date and the collectable date; a production period based on the collection date and the producible period; an acceptance date of the somatic cell based on the collection date and the production period; a stock location and a stock period based on the production period, the stockable location, and the stockable period; and a shipment date of the iPS cell based on the production period, the stockable location, and the stockable period.

Abstract: Provided is a method of improving the efficiency of iPS cell establishment, comprising bringing one or more factors selected from the group consisting of proteins belonging to cyclin D family and nucleic acids that encode the same into contact with a somatic cell, in the step of nuclear reprogramming of the somatic cell. Also provided are a method of producing an iPS cell comprising the step of bringing the factor(s) and nuclear reprogramming substance(s) into contact with a somatic cell, an iPS cell comprising a nucleic acid that encodes a protein belonging to cyclin D family that can be obtained by the method of producing an iPS cell, and a method of somatic cell production by forcing the iPS cell to differentiate.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of improving the efficiency of establishment of induced pluripotent stem cells by increasing, in a nuclear reprogramming step of somatic cell, the level of activated form of one or more proteins selected from the group consisting of Ras family members, PI3 kinase, RalGEF, Raf, AKT family members, Rheb, TCL1 and S6K. The invention also provides a method of producing induced pluripotent stem cells by contacting a somatic cell with a nuclear reprogramming substance and one or more of such proteins and nucleic acids that encode such proteins. The invention further provides an induced pluripotent stem cell that has an exogenous nucleic acid encoding such a protein, as well as agents for use in the aforesaid methods.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of producing iPS cells, which comprises the steps of (i) introducing reprogramming factors into somatic cells; (ii) culturing the cells obtained in step (i) for more than 11 days and not more than 29 days; (iii) sorting TRA-1-60-positive cells from the cells obtained in step (ii); (iv) culturing the TRA-1-60-positive cells sorted in step (iii); (v) transferring a colony obtained in step (iv) to another culture vessel; and (vi) culturing the cells obtained in step (v), thereby obtaining iPS cells. The cells obtained in step (v) are preferably subcultured 10 times or more. The invention also provides a method of producing a population of differentiated cells that has a reduced rate of residual undifferentiated cells, which comprises inducing differentiation of the iPS cells obtained by the above-mentioned method.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of improving iPS cell establishment efficiency, comprising contacting a protein involved in primitive streak (PrS) formation, preferably Foxh1, or a nucleic acid that encodes the same with a somatic cell in a nuclear reprogramming step. Also provided is a method of producing an iPS cell, comprising contacting the protein involved in PrS formation or a nucleic acid that encodes the same, and nuclear reprogramming substance(s) with a somatic cell.

Abstract: Provided are a method of improving iPS cell establishment efficiency, comprising the step of transferring Lin28B or a nucleic acid that encodes Lin28B to a somatic cell, particularly to a somatic cell on which Lin28 is ineffective or less effective than Lin28B in improving iPS cell establishment efficiency, and a method of producing an iPS cell, comprising the step of transferring Lin28B or a nucleic acid that encodes Lin28B and a nuclear reprogramming substance to a somatic cell. Also provided are an iPS cell comprising a nucleic acid that encodes Lin28B, that can be obtained by the method of producing an iPS cell, and a method of somatic cell production by forcing the iPS cell to differentiate into a somatic cell.

Abstract: A touch panel includes a cover substrate, an upper resin layer, upper conductive layers, a lower resin layer, lower conductive layers, and a protective layer. The upper conductive layers are in contact with the upper resin layer on the side opposite to the cover substrate. The lower resin layer is in contact with the upper conductive layers and the upper resin layer. The lower conductive layers are provided on the side of the lower resin layer opposite to the upper conductive layers with the lower resin layer placed between the lower conductive layers and the upper conductive layers. The protective layer is provided on the surface of the lower resin layer on which the lower conductive layers are formed. Each of the upper resin layer and the lower resin layer is formed of a uniform material.

Abstract: A touch panel includes an operation surface, a plurality of light-transmitting belt-like first conductive layers, belt-like second conductive layers, low-reflective layers, and a substrate. Each of the second conductive layers includes conductive parts and connecting parts. The conductive parts are formed between the plurality of first conductive layers. Each of the connecting parts is insulated from the first conductive layers, crosses over the first conductive layers, and electrically connects adjacent conductive parts. The low-reflective layers are formed between the connecting parts and the operation surface. The substrate supports the first conductive layers, the second conductive layers and the low-reflective layers. The surfaces of the low-reflective layers have lower light reflectivity than that of the surfaces of the connecting parts.

Abstract: A touch panel includes an upper substrate, upper conductive layers on an upper surface of the upper substrate, a lower substrate having an upper surface facing a lower surface of the upper substrate, lower conductive layers provided on the upper surface of the lower substrate, and an adhesive layer bonding the lower surface of the upper substrate to the upper surface of the lower substrate. The adhesive layer is curable with ultraviolet ray. This touch panel prevents adhesive from being attached and having a pressing mark, thus being operated easily.

Abstract: A touch panel includes first conductive layers being light-transmittable, and second conductive layers being light-transmittable and facing the first conductive layers with a gap. Each of the first conductive layers includes a resin being light-transmittable, metal filaments dispersed in the resin, and fine metal particles dispersed in the resin. The fine metal particles electrically connect the metal filaments to each other. The touch panel has a secure operability.