Abstract: The invention provides an ex-vivo method, i.e. an in vitro method, for genetically modifying cells of a vascularised tissue, which can be anorgan, during normothermic or subnormothermic perfusion without damaging the tissue or its cells due to oxygen undersupply. The method enables keeping the vascularised tissue at normothermic or subnormothermic conditions over a sufficient period of time to genetically modify the cells e.g. with viral vectors.

Abstract: Tissue for use as a transplant, which tissue is allogeneic or xenogeneic and respectively the tissue may express an MHC I molecule that is immunologically incompatible to the transplant recipient and/or may express an MHC II molecule immunologically incompatible to the transplant recipient. The tissue suitable for use as a transplant and the method for its production include a genetic alteration of the tissue that provides for immunologic compatibility of the tissue with a transplant recipient. In the tissue for use as a transplant, which tissue expresses allogeneic or xenogeneic MHC I and/or allogeneic or xenogeneic MHC II molecules, the expression of the allogeneic or xenogeneic MHC I is downregulated by at least 50% to up to 90%, preferably the expression of the allogeneic or xenogeneic MHC I is downregulated by at least 60%.

Abstract: A signalling molecule and an immune cell expressing the signalling molecule for use in the treatment of an undesired immune activity, which signalling molecule is a fusion protein which comprises a ligand domain, a spacer, a transmembrane domain, and at least one intracellular signalling domain, wherein the ligand domain comprises at least one epitope or all of the epitopes of the cognate antigen, or the cognate antigen, which cognate antigen is the target of the undesired immune activity.

Abstract: An in vitro process for producing megakaryocytes, and optionally platelets from the megakaryocytes, including the steps of cultivating stem cells, e.g. induced pluripotent stem cells, to generate aggregated pluripotent stem cells, preferably cultivating the aggregates in suspension in medium, inducing differentiation in these aggregates, and isolating megakaryocytes from the culture medium.

Abstract: A cornea, which is ex vivo genetically manipulated in order not to elicit an immune response in an allogeneic recipient. The cornea is isolated, for use in transplantation and a method for production of a cornea, which is performed on an initial ex vivo, e.g. isolated cornea, for use in transplantation, e.g. for use in the treatment of cornea defects.

Abstract: The invention provides an ex-vivo method, i.e. an in vitro method, for genetically modifying cells of a vascularised tissue, which can be anorgan, during normothermic or subnormothermic perfusion without damaging the tissue or its cells due to oxygen undersupply. The method enables keeping the vascularised tissue at normothermic or subnormothermic conditions over a sufficient period of time to genetically modify the cells e.g. with viral vectors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for identifying T-cell stimulating protein fragments using the following steps: a) detecting the amino acid sequence of an antigen; b) subdividing the found amino acid sequence of the antigen into protein fragments; c) synthesizing at least one protein fragment; d) incubating a suspension containing t-cells with the protein fragments; e) identifying an induced T-cell cytokine or activation marker by flow-through cytometry, and; f) assigning the T-cells, with which T-cell cytokines and/or activation markers were identified, to the protein fragments which were incubated with the T-cells. The corresponding protein fragments/peptides are synthetically produced with the assistance of the detected positive sequence, and said corresponding protein fragments/peptides can be utilized to produce a medicament for immunostimulation.

Abstract: A method for the determination of the state of the immune system, e.g. the state of activity and activation, respectively, of the immune system, using the determination of presence of a blood or peripheral mononuclear cell or plasma marker. The marker can be determined directly, e.g. by determination of its titre using a specific antibody against the marker, or indirectly, e.g. by the determination of the mRNA encoding the marker. Further, the invention relates to the use of the protein corresponding to the marker analysed in the analytical method, as a medicament, especially for influencing, e.g. for activating the immune system, more specifically for activating the cytotoxicity of NK cells as well as for activating the cytotoxicity and the proliferation of T-cells.

Abstract: The invention relates to a recombinant, purified MHC protein, which essentially comprises the same conformation functional activity and binding characteristics for specific antibodies and antigens as the native MHC protein. The invention also relates to a method for producing the protein. To obtain a protein, whose characteristics resemble those of the native protein in the closest possible manner, the protein is soluble and not truncated.