Abstract: Antigen-specific reagents (antibody mimetics) that are artificial/mutated proteins and specifically detect active TGF-?. Also provided are methods for producing soluble forms of such antigen-specific reagents (and other affinity reagents), and methods of using the antigen-specific reagents, such as in imaging and flow cytometric analysis.

Abstract: Methods for generating and using omentum cells, and particularly stromal cells and/or omentum stem cells, in medical treatments such as tissue repair and regeneration to facilitate healing from traumatic injury to an abdominal organ, and immune modulation treatments such as suppression of immune responses and inflammation and prevention of tissue fibrosis. According to one aspect, a medical procedure is performed on a patient that involves harvesting omental tissue from the patient, and then transferring the omental tissue to an organ of the patient. At least a portion of the harvested omental tissue may be activated prior to transferring the omental tissue to the organ. Alternatively, the transferred omental tissue may comprise non-lymphoid cells isolated from the omentum tissue and obtained by homogenizing at least a portion of the harvested omental tissue.

Abstract: Methods for expanding regulatory T cells in vitro are provided. It has been discovered that regulatory T cells can be expanded in vitro by culturing a mixed population of lymphocytes on planar cell culture substrates, for example cell culture dishes, coated with binding partners for TCR complex and CD28. Remarkably, culturing mixed populations of lymphocytes on planar substrates coated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies induced apoptosis of effector T cells. It is believe that this is the first cell culture technique that expands regulatory T cells while inducing the apoptosis of effector cells in the mixed lymphocyte population using binding partners for cell surface proteins immobilized on planar substrate. Because effector T cells are typically present in mixed populations of lymphocytes, effector T cells compete with regulatory T cells and typically overtake the cell culture.

Abstract: Methods for generating and using omentum cells, and particularly stromal cells and/or omentum stem cells, in medical treatments such as tissue repair and regeneration to facilitate healing from traumatic injury to an abdominal organ, and immune modulation treatments such as suppression of immune responses and inflammation and prevention of tissue fibrosis. According to one aspect, a medical procedure is performed on a patient that involves harvesting omental tissue from the patient, and then transferring the omental tissue to an organ of the patient. At least a portion of the harvested omental tissue may be activated prior to transferring the omental tissue to the organ. Alternatively, the transferred omental tissue may comprise non-lymphoid cells isolated from the omentum tissue and obtained by homogenizing at least a portion of the harvested omental tissue.

Abstract: A method of inducing stable and functional Tregs from human umbilical cord blood and adult blood without requiring the expansion of pre-existing Tregs. The method utilizes CD14+ monocyte cells present in or isolated from cord blood or adult blood to induce functional Tregs from T cells, and particularly T cells that express CD4+, which may also be obtained from cord blood or adult blood. The developed Tregs are long-lasting and maintain their suppressive functions.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided for treating autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and other conditions involving undesired immune responses such as allergies, including food allergies, and graft-versus-host disease. In one embodiment disclosed, regulatory/suppressor T cells are selected or expanded in culture using a phospholipase D (PLD) inhibitor to prevent growth of effector T cells and a growth factor to stimulate the regulatory cells. Antigen-specific regulatory/regulatory T cells can be produced by this method. The regulatory T cells can then be administered to a patient in need of suppressive immunotherapy. In another embodiment, PLD inhibitor, growth factor, and an antigen for which antigen-specific suppressive immunotherapy is desired are administered to a patient via injection, oral or topical administration, or other means known to the art.