Abstract: The disclosure relates to a chondrogenic cell sheet comprising at least two layers of confluent chondrogenically differentiated cells, wherein the cell sheet is prepared from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and wherein the chondrogenically differentiated cells on the basal side of the cell sheet express adhesion molecules. The disclosure also relates to a method of preparing a chondrogenic cell sheet comprising: a) culturing MSCs on temperature responsive cultureware until confluent to form a cell sheet; b) detaching the cell sheet by temperature reduction and allowing the cell sheet to contract, forming a contracted cell sheet; c) contacting the contracted cell sheet with a culture surface; and d) treating the contracted cell sheet on the culture surface with chondrogenic medium and culturing to form a chondrogenic cell sheet. Methods of using the chondrogenic cell sheets to repair cartilage tissue or treat joint disease are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell sheet comprising one or more layers of confluent human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs). The disclosure also provides method for producing hUC-MSC sheets comprising culturing hUC-MSCs in culture solution on a temperature-responsive polymer which has been coated onto a substrate surface of a cell culture support, wherein the temperature-responsive polymer has a lower critical solution temperature in water of 0-80° C.; adjusting the temperature of the culture solution to below the lower critical solution temperature, whereby the substrate surface is made hydrophilic and adhesion of the cell sheet to the surface is weakened; and detaching the cell sheet from the culture support.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a chondrocyte cell sheet comprising one or more layers of confluent cells comprising chondrocytes and chondroprogenitor cells. Methods of generating cartilage tissue in a subject are also provided. The disclosure also provides a method for producing chondrocyte cell sheets comprising culturing chondrocytes and chondroprogenitor cells in culture solution on a temperature-responsive polymer which has been coated onto a substrate surface of a cell culture support, wherein the temperature-responsive polymer has a lower critical solution temperature in water of 0-80° C.; adjusting the temperature of the culture solution to below the lower critical solution temperature, whereby the substrate surface is made hydrophilic and adhesion of the cell sheet to the surface is weakened; and detaching the cell sheet from the culture support.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a salivary gland (SG) cell sheet comprising one or more layers of confluent SG cells (e.g. submandibular gland (SMG) cells). Methods of treating a wound in a salivary gland (SG), treating hyposalivation, and treating irradiation damage in an SG are also provided. The disclosure also provides a method for producing SG cell sheets comprising culturing SG cells in culture solution on a temperature-responsive polymer which has been coated onto a substrate surface of a cell culture support, wherein the temperature-responsive polymer has a lower critical solution temperature in water of 0-80° C.; adjusting the temperature of el the culture solution to below the lower critical solution temperature, whereby the substrate surface is made hydrophilic and adhesion of the cell sheet to the surface is weakened; and detaching the cell sheet from the culture support.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method of reducing formation of fibrotic tissue in a uterus of a subject in need thereof, comprising applying a mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) sheet to the uterus of the subject, wherein the MSC sheet comprises one or more layers of aggregated confluent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and wherein applying the MSC sheet to the uterus reduces the formation of fibrotic tissue in the uterus relative to a uterus in which the MSC sheet is not applied. The disclosure also provides a method of increasing myometrial regeneration in a uterus of a subject in need thereof, comprising applying a mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) sheet to the uterus of the subject, wherein the MSC sheet comprises one or more layers of aggregated confluent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and wherein applying the MSC sheet to the uterus increases myometrial regeneration relative to a uterus in which the MSC sheet is not applied.

Abstract: A cell culture system having a cell culture vessel, a composition controlling fluid storage vessel, a culture fluid composition controlling means having an inlet and an outlet for a cell culture fluid, an inlet-connected fluid feeding circuit from the cell culture vessel to the inlet of the culture fluid composition controlling means, an outlet-connected fluid feeding circuit from the cell culture vessel to the outlet of the culture fluid composition controlling means, a means which perfuses the cell culture fluid from the inlet-connected fluid feeding circuit to the outlet-connected fluid feeding circuit through the culture fluid composition controlling means, and a means which controls the amount of fluid in the cell culture vessel, in which compositions of the cell culture fluid in the cell culture vessel and compositions of the composition controlling fluid in the composition controlling fluid storage vessel can be controlled in a continuous manner.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of inhibiting progression of or preventing renal disorder, the method comprising applying a cell sheet composition for inhibiting progression of or preventing renal disorder to at least one part of the surface of a kidney, wherein the part of the surface is uncovered by a fibrous capsule of the kidney. The present invention also provides a cell sheet composition for inhibiting progression of or preventing renal disorder, the cell sheet composition comprising a cell that has a function of producing a hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). The present invention also provides a method of producing a cell sheet composition for inhibiting progression of or preventing renal disorder.

Abstract: A complex of implant and cultured periodontal ligament cell sheet, that can be satisfactorily stabilized into the bone through periodontal ligament tissue, is provided. A fixture of the inserted implant is coated with calcium phosphate and the cultured periodontal ligament cell sheet is brought into intimate contact with the implant.

Abstract: A diseased site where an anterior segment tissue is partly or entirely damaged or deficient can be treated using a corneal epithelium forming cell sheet that will adhere well to the 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° C.-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.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to obtain an alternative to a substitute of the mucosa in the middle ear which is engrafted on the surface of the bone in the middle ear, hyperplasia of the granulation tissue and the bone and the development of the fibroblast cells in the middle ear are suppressed, and to obtain a middle ear mucosa-like cell sheet retaining cilia in the surface layer, comprising culturing nasal epithelium cells on a cell culture substrate coated with a polymer whose hydration force changes within a temperature range of 0 to 80° C., wherein the cells are cultured within a temperature range where the hydration force of the polymer is weak, and then changing the temperature to a temperature at which the hydration force is strong to recover the cultured cell sheet.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a cell composition for treatment of uterine tissue that heals damage occurring in uterine tissue, including intrauterine adhesion, to a state that enables pregnancy. In addition, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing this cell composition for treatment of uterine tissue, and a cell composition for treatment of uterine tissue produced according to that method. The cell composition, which has a first cell layer containing epithelial cells and a second cell layer containing stromal cells, and the first cell layer is laminated on the second cell layer, has the ability to heal damage occurring in uterine tissue, including intrauterine adhesion, and restore it to a state that enables pregnancy.

Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of providing a cell sheet composition for healing or preventing discharge from a wounded region of a luminal organ. The present invention also addresses the problem of providing a method in which the cell sheet composition is affixed to a wounded region of a luminal organ to heal or prevent discharge from the wounded region of the luminal organ. The present invention provides a cell sheet composition including mesenchymal stem cells which is characterized by being affixed to a wounded region of a luminal organ in order to heal or prevent discharge from the wounded region of the luminal organ. The present invention also provides a method in which the cell sheet composition including mesenchymal stem cells is affixed to a wounded region of a luminal organ to heal or prevent discharge from the wounded region of the luminal organ.

Abstract: Provided is a means for evaluating the wetting characteristic of an object such as a cell sheet and a culture dish in a non-contact fashion. The wetting characteristic of an object is evaluated by a method comprising the steps of: (1) removing a liquid by jetting a gas at a surface of the object covered with the liquid, (2) measuring a dimension of a region in which the liquid is removed after the completion of the gas jetting and (3) evaluating the wetting characteristic of the object using the measured dimension as an index.

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: A diseased site where an anterior segment tissue is partly or entirely damaged or deficient can be treated using a corneal epithelium forming cell sheet that will adhere well to the 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° C.-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.

Abstract: Provided are layered cell sheets, comprising a plurality of layered cell sheets containing myoblasts, in which each cell sheet comprises cell population containing myoblasts with controlled orientations. Preferably provided are the layered cell sheets comprising a region in which the orientations of the cell population containing the myoblasts in each cell sheet are identical to each other.

Abstract: With the present invention the sheet shaped therapeutic substance can be accurately and easily affixed to the inside of the human body. As shown in FIG. 6A, the sheet shaped substance can be mounted on the head with wrinkles being formed. When this takes place, the sheet shaped substance is held in contact with the outer periphery of the head. Then, by making the pressure of the fluid inside the vent apertures positive, the sheet shaped substance can be blown off. The surface of the head is closely parallel to an inner surface of the esophagus wall for the sheet shaped substance to be affixed. Therefore, this particularly makes it possible to perform such applying step (FIG. 6B) in a more reliable fashion.

Abstract: The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a cultured cell sheet having a superior tissue adhesiveness and an excellent flexibility. The problems can be solved by producing the cultured cell sheet in which cells are cultured in the presence of a surfactant protein or a cross-linking inhibitor on a surface of a cell culture support that is coated with a temperature responsive polymer having an upper or lower critical solution temperature ranging from 0° C. to 80° C. in water, including steps of: adjusting the temperature of the culture medium to a temperature below the lower critical solution temperature or above the upper critical solution temperature; and detaching the cultured cell sheet.

Abstract: A cell culture apparatus includes: an isolator in which a sterile space accommodating a cell incubator filled with a culture solution containing cells to be cultured is disposed; a sampling unit configured to sample the culture solution in the cell incubator; a delivery flow path through which an inside of the sterile space and an outside of the sterile space communicate with each other, the delivery flow path configured to limit a flow in the delivery flow path to a direction that is directed from the inside of the sterile space toward the outside of the sterile space; and a culture solution delivering section configured to deliver the sampled culture solution to the outside of the sterile space via the delivery flow path.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of inhibiting progression of or preventing renal disorder, the method comprising applying a cell sheet composition for inhibiting progression of or preventing renal disorder to at least one part of the surface of a kidney, wherein the part of the surface is uncovered by a fibrous capsule of the kidney. The present invention also provides a cell sheet composition for inhibiting progression of or preventing renal disorder, the cell sheet composition comprising a cell that has a function of producing a hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). The present invention also provides a method of producing a cell sheet composition for inhibiting progression of or preventing renal disorder.