Abstract: The present invention relates to a culture media system that is useful for the isolation and epigenetically stable propagation of normal stem cells in culture, wherein the stem cells are derived from stratified epithelial tissues and cancer stem cells from epithelial cancers. In certain embodiments, the culture system is a feeder-free system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a culture media system that useful for the isolation and epigenetically stable propagation of normal stem cells in culture which are derived from columnar epithelial tissues and cancer stem cells from epithelial cancers. In certain embodiments, the culture system is a feeder-free system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a culture media system that is useful for the isolation and epigenetically stable propagation of normal stem cells in culture which are derived from columnar epithelial tissues and cancer stem cells from epithelial cancers. In certain embodiments, the culture system is a feeder-free system.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and formulations for treating a patient suffering from one or more of chronic inflammatory injury, metaplasia, dysplasia or cancer of esophageal tissue and gastric tissue, which method comprises administering to the patient an agent that selectively kills or inhibits the proliferation or differentiation of pathogenic Barrett's Esophagus stem cells (BESCs) or Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia stem cells (GIMSCs) relative to normal regenerative esophageal stem cells or gastric stem cells in the tissue in which the BESCs or GIMSCs are found.

Abstract: The present disclosure addresses IBD from the standpoint of inhibiting or ablating pathogenic mucosal stem cells cloned from defined regions of disease in the gastrointestinal tract. In the case of Crohn's disease, for example, isolation of those stem cells according to the methods of the present disclosure reveals a pattern of inflammatory gene expression in stem cells from the terminal ileum and colon that is epigenetically maintained despite months of continuous cultivation in the absence of immune or stromal cells, or of intestinal microbes. Superimposed on this distributed inflammatory phenotype is a differentiation defect that profoundly and specifically alters the mucosal barrier properties of the terminal ileum. The co-existence of diseased and normal stem cells within the same endoscopic biopsies of Crohn's disease patients implicates an epigenetically enforced heterogeneity among mucosal stem cells in the dynamics of this condition.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and formulations for treating a patient suffering from one or more of chronic inflammatory injury, metaplasia, dysplasia or cancer of an epithelial tissue, which method comprises administering to the patient an agent that selectively kills or inhibits the proliferation or differentiation of pathogenic epithelial stem cells (PESCs) relative to normal epithelial stem cells in the tissue in which the PESCs are found. Representative epithelial tissues include pulmonary, genitourinary, gastrointestinal/esophageal, pancreatic and hepatic tissues.

Abstract: The present disclosure addresses inflammatory lung diseases, such as COPD, and fibrotic lung diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, from the standpoint of inhibiting or ablating pathogenic epithelial stem cells found in the pulmonary tract.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a culture media system that is useful for the isolation and epigenetically stable propagation of normal stem cells in culture which are derived from columnar epithelial tissues and cancer stem cells from epithelial cancers. In certain embodiments, the culture system is a feeder-free system.

Abstract: Described herein are stein cells and related factors for treating degenerative and inflammatory disorders of lung tissue.

Abstract: The invention described herein relates to methods of isolating non-embryonic stem cell, e.g., adult stem cell, from a non-embryonic tissue, e.g., an adult tissue or organ. Non-embryonic stem cells (e.g., adult stem cells) thus isolated from the various tissues or organs can self-renew or propagate indefinitely in vitro, are multipotent and can differentiate into the various differentiated cell types normally found within the tissue or organ from which the stem cells are isolated. In addition, the isolated stem cells can be propagated through clonal expansion of a single isolated stem cell, to produce a clone of which at least about 40%, 70%, or 90% or more cells within the clone can be further passaged as single cell originated clones.

Abstract: The invention described herein relates to methods of screening for pro-inflammatory genes and anti-inflammatory genes which may be useful for treating an inflammatory disease, disorder, or otherwise abnormal condition, such as an inflammatory lung disease. The identified pro-inflammatory genes and anti-inflammatory genes may be used to produce pharmaceutical compositions for use in treating the inflammatory disease, disorder, or otherwise abnormal condition.

Abstract: The invention described herein relates to methods of isolating non-embryonic stem cell, e.g., adult stem cell, from a non-embryonic tissue, e.g., an adult tissue or organ. Non-embryonic stem cells (e.g., adult stem cells) thus isolated from the various tissues or organs can self-renew or propagate indefinitely in vitro, are multipotent and can differentiate into the various differentiated cell types normally found within the tissue or organ from which the stem cells are isolated. In addition, the isolated stem cells can be propagated through clonal expansion of a single isolated stem cell, to produce a clone of which at least about 40%, 70%, or 90% or more cells within the clone can be further passaged as single cell originated clones.

Abstract: The invention described herein relates to methods of screening for pro-inflammatory genes and anti-inflammatory genes which may be useful for treating an inflammatory disease, disorder, or otherwise abnormal condition, such as an inflammatory lung disease. The identified pro-inflammatory genes and anti-inflammatory genes may be used to produce pharmaceutical compositions for use in treating the inflammatory disease, disorder, or otherwise abnormal condition.

Abstract: Airway stem cells have been implicated in the pathology and progression of chronic airway diseases and yet also hold the promise of physiological and ultimately therapeutic repair of damage wrought by these conditions. The present invention is based on the observation that certain p63-expressing stem cells in the bronchiolar epithelium undergo rapid proliferation after infection and radiate to interbronchiolar regions of alveolar ablation. Once there, these cells assemble into discrete, Krt5+ pods and initiate expression of markers typical of alveoli. The dynamics of this p63-expressing stem cell in lung regeneration mirrors parallel findings that defined pedigrees of human distal airway stem cells assemble alveoli-like structures in vitro and provides new therapeutic avenues to acute and chronic airway disease as well as identifying agents which can promote repair.

Abstract: The invention described herein relates to methods of isolating non-embryonic stem cell, e.g., adult stem cell, from a non-embryonic tissue, e.g., an adult tissue or organ. Non-embryonic stem cells (e.g., adult stem cells) thus isolated from the various tissues or organs can self-renew or propagate indefinitely in vitro, are multipotent and can differentiate into the various differentiated cell types normally found within the tissue or organ from which the stem cells are isolated. In addition, the isolated stem cells can be propagated through clonal expansion of a single isolated stem cell, to produce a clone of which at least about 40%, 70%, or 90% or more cells within the clone can be further passaged as single cell originated clones.

Abstract: The invention described herein relates to methods of isolating non-embryonic stem cell, e.g., adult stem cell, from a non-embryonic tissue, e.g., an adult tissue or organ. Non-embryonic stem cells (e.g., adult stem cells) thus isolated from the various tissues or organs can self-renew or propagate indefinitely in vitro, are multipotent and can differentiate into the various differentiated cell types normally found within the tissue or organ from which the stem cells are isolated. In addition, the isolated stem cells can be propagated through clonal expansion of a single isolated stem cell, to produce a clone of which at least about 40%, 70%, or 90% or more cells within the clone can be further passaged as single cell originated clones.

Abstract: The invention described herein relates to methods of screening for pro-inflammatory genes and anti-inflammatory genes which may be useful for treating an inflammatory disease, disorder, or otherwise abnormal condition, such as an inflammatory lung disease. The identified pro-inflammatory genes and anti-inflammatory genes may be used to produce pharmaceutical compositions for use in treating the inflammatory disease, disorder, or otherwise abnormal condition.

Abstract: Described herein are stein cells and related factors for treating degenerative and inflammatory disorders of lung tissue.

Abstract: The invention described herein relates to the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of intestinal metaplasias that develop to esophageal, gastric, and pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The stem cells and differentiated cells of these intestinal metaplasias show high expression of CDH17 as well as other proteins. The invention also includes a clonal population of Barrett's esophagus stem cells as well as the stem cells of the surrounding normal epithelia and methods of using them for the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of Barrett's esophagus.

Abstract: The invention described herein relates to the treatment, detection, and diagnosis of various cancers, including esophageal or gastric adenocarcinoma and related metaplasias. The invention also includes a clonal population of Barrett's esophagus progenitor cells and methods of using them for the treatment, detection, and diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus.