Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for modulating the differentiation of incompletely differentiated cells, such as stem-progenitor cells, e.g., hematopoietic stem-progenitor cells. A method may comprise contacting a cell with an agononist or an antagonist of a miRNA comprising a nucleotide sequence from SEQ ID NO: 1-34.

Abstract: The invention is based at least in part on the discovery of novel group of genes and/or their encoded gene products that are differentially represented in two substantially enriched CD34+/CD38?/Lin? and CD34+/[CD38/Lin]++ hematopoietic cell populations isolated from normal human bone marrow, cord blood, and peripheral blood stem cell preparations.

Abstract: Fas ligand (CD95L) induces apoptosis in activated T cells through the process of Activation Induced Cell Death (AICD). Gelatin nanoparticles are virus sized gelatin-protein-DNA complexes which can encapsulate multiple DNA vectors and proteins, and which are thought to act by increasing in vivo transfection of antigen presenting cells. By injecting mice with gelatin nanoparticles containing a murine Fas ligand (CD95L) DNA vector and a &bgr;-galactosidase (LacZ) model antigen vector, the T cell response specific for &bgr;-gal was ablated without effecting the response to a secondary antigen. In effect, this “tolerization” injection induced antigen specific peripheral tolerance in study mice, and is applicable to the treatment of autoimmune diseases when self-antigens such as Myelin Basic Protein are co-delivered with the fas ligand.