Abstract: The present invention is a cell transfer agent comprising a composite particle coated by a sugar chain polymer wherein the composite particle consisting of an apatite comprising phosphate, carbonic acid, and calcium.

Abstract: A material for treatment of brain injury, a method for treatment of brain injury, a material for regeneration of brain neurons, and a method for regeneration of brain neurons are provided. The material for treatment of brain injury contains a carrier on which at least one selected from the group consisting of N-cadherin, a fusion protein containing an entire or partial region of N-cadherin, and a fusion protein containing an entire or partial region of a protein having homology to N-cadherin is immobilized or coated.

Abstract: [Problem] To provide a cell culture substrate, and a cell culturing method using the substrate and a method for inducing differentiation of pluripotent stem cells using the substrate, which allow culturing of pluripotent stem cells and allow differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into a specified cell species, particularly neural and neural progenitor cells, at a high purity. [Means for Solution] A cell culture substrate, characterized in that, onto the surface, one or more selected from the group consisting of N-cadherin, a fusion protein comprising an entire or partial region of N-cadherin, and a fusion protein comprising an entire or partial region of a protein homologous to N-cadherin are immobilized or coated.

Abstract: A sugar chain-containing polymer that enables targeting to the lesion area of liver fibrosis and is useful for imaging, diagnosis and therapy of liver fibrosis; and a sugar chain-containing polymer complex comprising the polymer as a carrier for an anionic substance useful fix therapy and the like; are provided. The polymer is a sugar chain-containing polymer which is a cationic polymer comprising an amine, which polymer comprises N-acetylglucosamine bound thereto. The polymer preferably has a disulfide bond. The polymer preferably has a structure in which polyethyleneimine is linked via a disulfide bond.

Abstract: A principal object of the present invention is to provide a pharmaceutical composition that can produce a high antitumor effect by efficiently delivering a drug with antitumor activity to tumor tissues with the aid of carbonate apatite nanoparticles. The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition including carbonate apatite nanoparticles with an average particle size of at most 50 nm containing a drug with antitumor activity and a pharmacologically acceptable solvent in which the carbonate apatite nanoparticles containing the drug are dispersed.

Abstract: A sugar chain-containing polymer that enables targeting to the lesion area of liver fibrosis and is useful for imaging, diagnosis and therapy of liver fibrosis; and a sugar chain-containing polymer complex comprising the polymer as a carrier for an anionic substance useful fix therapy and the like; are provided. The polymer is a sugar chain-containing polymer which is a cationic polymer comprising an amine, which polymer comprises N-acetylglucosamine bound thereto. The polymer preferably has a disulfide bond. The polymer preferably has a structure in which polyethyleneimine is linked via a disulfide bond.

Abstract: A principal object of the present invention is to provide a pharmaceutical composition that can produce a high antitumor effect by efficiently delivering a drug with antitumor activity to tumor tissues with the aid of carbonate apatite nanoparticles. The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition including carbonate apatite nanoparticles with an average particle size of at most 50 nm containing a drug with antitumor activity and a pharmacologically acceptable solvent in which the carbonate apatite nanoparticles containing the drug are dispersed.

Abstract: [Problem] To provide a cell culture substrate, and a cell culturing method using the substrate and a method for inducing differentiation of pluripotent stem cells using the substrate, which allow culturing of pluripotent stem cells and allow differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into a specified cell species, particularly neural and neural progenitor cells, at a high purity. [Means for Solution] A cell culture substrate, characterized in that, onto the surface, one or more selected from the group consisting of N-cadherin, a fusion protein comprising an entire or partial region of N-cadherin, and a fusion protein comprising an entire or partial region of a protein homologous to N-cadherin are immobilized or coated.

Abstract: A novel growing method is provided for pluripotent stem cells such as ES cells. The method of the invention is a pluripotent stem cell growing method and gene transfer method in which pluripotent stem cells are cultured under conditions that maintain their undifferentiated state and pluripotency, the method being characterized by using a liquid medium and a culturing vessel having immobilized or coated on a substrate solid phase surface a molecule which is adhesive to the pluripotent stem cells in a fixed concentration, to grow the pluripotent stem cells in a dispersed state while maintaining their undifferentiated state and pluripotency, without using feeder cells, or to transfer and express a gene therein.

Abstract: A novel growing method is provided for pluripotent stem cells such as ES cells. The method of the invention is a pluripotent stem cell growing method and gene transfer method in which pluripotent stem cells are cultured under conditions that maintain their undifferentiated state and pluripotency, the method being characterized by using a liquid medium and a culturing vessel having immobilized or coated on a substrate solid phase surface a molecule which is adhesive to the pluripotent stem cells in a fixed concentration, to grow the pluripotent stem cells in a dispersed state while maintaining their undifferentiated state and pluripotency, without using feeder cells, or to transfer and express a gene therein.

Abstract: When a solution of an inorganic phosphoric acid, added to with calcium ions and magnesium ions, is incubated for a preset time duration, an apatite particle obtained is reduced in size, depending on the concentration of the magnesium ions. By employing an apatite particle, for which the concentration of the magnesium ions and the incubation time duration are controlled adequately, it is possible to improve the gene transfection efficiency into the cells and the gene expression efficiency in the cells.

Abstract: A cell culture material comprising a sugar containing polymer in which at least one kind of sugar chain is bonded as a side chain via a spacer molecule is made into a three-dimensional shape whereupon a three-dimensional cell material is prepared. With regard to the sugar containing polymer, a sugar containing polymer having a carboxyl group such as alginic acid, hyaluronic acid, pectic acid or a derivative thereof is preferably used. Sugar chain having a specific recognition to a cell is bonded as a side chain and, therefore, when the cell is incubated using the cell culture material, it is possible to maintain and improve the proliferation, morphology and function of the cells and to retain the cell form in a form of near that in vivo due to a specific interaction between the cell and the sugar chain.

Abstract: This relates to a contrast medium containing a complex of a gadolinium (Gd) type contrast agent and a polymer. More particularly, the contrast medium wherein the polymer capable of phase transit in response to environmental changes, particularly, pH, light or temperature, to develop a different water solubility, and a method for imaging by the use of this contrast medium. By binding a polymer responsive to microenvironmental changes with a Gd type MRI contrast agent, on-off switching of MRI imaging capability is enabled, wherein imaging occurs only on the target sites. Consequently, a highly specific MRI contrast medium can be obtained, whereby a highly specific MRI diagnosis is made possible, wherein only the target sites such as a tumor and a particular site are imaged and otherwise at the site where imaging is not necessary.

Abstract: A carrier for stabilizing a nucleic acid is provided which forms a soluble, stable complex with a nucleic acid, which has a stabilizing effect on a double or triple helix of a nucleic acid, which suppresses the structural change of a nucleic acid, and which enables the reversibility of a nucleic acid to be retained. A method for stabilizing a nucleic acid by use of such a carrier is also provided. This carrier is a polymer having a poly(cationic amino acid) as a main chain, and a comb-shaped hydrophilic group as a side chain modifying the polymer.

Abstract: A carrier for delivering a foreign substance to a target organ which comprises a graft copolymer in which hyaluronic acid is grafted on a polymer composing main chain, wherein the main chain has a part capable of binding to the foreign substance electrostatically, and contains one or more monomer unit having side chain with amino or imino group capable of coupling to hyarulonic acid, which is useful for delivering a foreign substance to a target organ, especially liver.

Abstract: A composition for delivery of a selected nucleic acid into a targeted host cell comprises a complex of a hydrophobized, positively charged, biocompatible polymer; a lipoprotein; and a selected nucleic acid. Hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions between the components provide for the formation of the condensed DNA-containing complex. Preferred embodiments of the complex have a slightly positive surface charge and an average diameter of about 200 nm. Plasmids and oligonucleotides can be efficiently delivered with such compositions. A method of delivering a selected nucleic acid to a host cell is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention discloses a cell culture support which provides for the adhesion and culturing of one or more adhesive cells using a photoresist in which to provide a particular patterned design on a surface of the support. The patterned design is provided by the photoresist which is partially removed by photolithography during the making of the support which in turn imparts a striped, checkerboard or dotted pattern on the surface of the support. Further, the cell culture support is produced by pretreating the support surface with a reagent to provide hydrophobicity to the support surface. Also a reagent can be added to pretreat the support surface in order to facilitate adhesion at the photoresist prior to applying the photoresist into the cell culture support. Collagen is applied in the form of a solution, containing in addition thereto albumin and a crosslinking agent, in order to form a film. Collagen specifically affects the cell adhesion rate or the morphology of the cells to be adhered to the support.

Abstract: A styrene derivative carrying N-acethylchito-oligosaccharide chains, a polystyrene derivative carrying N-acetylchito-oligosaccharide chains on the side chains as well as a method for preparing these compounds are herein disclosed. The method for preparing the styrene derivative comprises reacting N-acetylchito-oligosaccharide lactone with vinylbenzylamine or a derivative thereof while the method for preparing the polystyrene derivative comprises polymerizing the styrene derivative. These derivatives can be employed as biomedical materials, in particular as materials for cell culture.

Abstract: A galactosamine substituted poly-.omega.-alkyl (or benzyl)-L-glutamic acid (or aspartic acid) is provided and comprises a polypeptide having the recurring unit represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein X has a value of 60 to 250; n is 1 or 2; and R represents a lower alkyl group or benzyl group, in which a part or all of the peptide in said polypeptide is substituted by an .omega.-galactosamyl-L-glutamic acid (or aspartic acid) residue represented by the general formula: ##STR2## wherein n is as indicated.

Abstract: A body fluid is separated into respective components by passing the body fluid through a separation device. The separation device includes a lipid having lipophilic and hydrophilic groups, and a support immobilizing the lipid. The lipid is immobilized on the support such that only its hydrophilic groups contact the body fluid introduced in the separation device. Only body fluid components having a strong adherent property adhere to the hydrophilic groups of the lipid.