Abstract: An oxygen-absorbing resin composition containing a base resin having a thermoplastic resin; and an oxygen-absorbing component having at least the one selected from the group consisting of an ester, an amide, an imide or a dicarboxylic acid derived from an acid anhydride represented by the following formula (1), wherein, a ring X is an aliphatic ring having an unsaturated bond, n is a number of the substituents Y bonded to the ring X and is an integer of 0 or 1, and Y is an alkyl group, and a polymer having a constituent unit stemming from the acid anhydride. An oxygen-absorbing polyester resin composition exhibits excellent oxygen-absorbing property even in the absence of transition metal catalyst without accompanied by the deterioration of the polyester resin used as a the base resin, the oxygen-absorbing property being strong enough for maintaining gas-barrier properties.

Abstract: The disclosed islet isolation method comprises: an injection step of injecting a preservation solution into the pancreatic duct of an excised pancreas; a preservation step of immersing the pancreas into an immersion fluid for preservation; a digestion step of breaking down the pancreas to provide pancreatic tissue; and a purification step of immersing the pancreatic tissue in a purification solution to provide islets. The digestion step consists of: an enzyme injection step of injecting an enzyme solution containing a digestion enzyme into the pancreas; a digestion initiation step of activating the digestion enzyme; a digestion termination step of inactivating the digestion enzyme; and a collection step of collecting the broken-down pancreatic tissue.

Abstract: The types and relative proportions of cells constituting a cell sheet stack, and the number of cells to be seeded are altered to change the state of the cells in the cell sheet stack, whereby production of an angiogenesis-promoting cytokine as well as construction of a vascular endothelial network can be optimized.

Abstract: To provide an oxygen-absorbing polyester resin composition which exhibits excellent oxygen-absorbing capability even in the absence of transition metal catalyst without affected by the glass transition temperature of a polyester resin that is contained as a base resin. The oxygen-absorbing polyester resin composition including a base resin (A) which is a polyester resin, an oxygen-absorbing component (B) which is a compound having an unsaturated alicyclic structure, and an oxidation promotion component (C) for promoting the oxidation of the oxygen-absorbing component (B), said oxidation promotion component (C) being a compound having a benzyl hydrogen.

Abstract: The disclosed islet isolation method comprises: an injection step of injecting a preservation solution into the pancreatic duct of an excised pancreas; a preservation step of immersing the pancreas into an immersion fluid for preservation; a digestion step of breaking down the pancreas to provide pancreatic tissue; and a purification step of immersing the pancreatic tissue in a purification solution to provide islets. The digestion step consists of: an enzyme injection step of injecting an enzyme solution containing a digestion enzyme into the pancreas; a digestion initiation step of activating the digestion enzyme; a digestion termination step of inactivating the digestion enzyme; and a collection step of collecting the broken-down pancreatic tissue.

Abstract: A method of obtaining pancreatic endocrine cells from cells originating in an adipose tissue characterized by comprising culturing the adipose tissue-origin cells; the pancreatic endocrine cells that can be obtained thereby; a method of treating or preventing a disease caused by the hypofunction in pancreatic endocrine cells wherein the above-described pancreatic endocrine cells are used; a method of screening a substance capable of promoting or inhibiting the differentiation into pancreatic endocrine cells characterized by comprising adding a candidate substance to a medium in the course of culturing adipose tissue-origin cells to obtain the pancreatic endocrine cells; and so on.

Abstract: Provided are a cell sheet and a three-dimensional structure thereof that include at least mesenchymal stem cells and myoblasts isolated from a cell culture support and that are to be applied to heart disease. Use of the cell sheet and the three-dimensional structure thereof including mesenchymal stem cells and myoblasts can notably improve cardiac functions compared with a conventional technology, i.e., use of cell sheets composed of myoblasts only or mesenchymal stem cells only. Furthermore, the cell sheet itself has high strength, and the transplantation procedure is also improved.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an artificial tissue that can efficiently reproduce myocardial tissue function and that can be used in an actual implantation and produced by culturing. The present invention relates to a graft material for treating myocardial disease, the graft material including a cell sheet containing adipocytes.

Abstract: To provide a new reductive-stimuli-responsive degradable gel that allows any control of decomposition of the three-dimensional base material for cell culture and production of a completely biological three-dimensional cellular structure consisting only of cells and cells-produced extracellular matrix and that allows safe recovery of the cellular structure produced. A stimuli-responsive hydrogel, characterized by being produced by crosslinking a water-soluble polymer with a compound having a disulfide bond in the molecular chain.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method of producing a three-dimensional tissue by which cell lamination can be carried out easily. According to the method, a three-dimensional tissue in which cell layers are laminated with an extracellular matrix intervening between each pair of the adjacent cell layers is produced by: (A) forming a cell layer on a substrate; (B) bringing the cell layer formed on the substrate into contact with a solution containing a first substance and a solution containing a second substance alternately, thus forming, on the cell layer, an extracellular matrix in which the first substance and the second substance are laminated alternately; and (C) culturing a cell on the extracellular matrix to form a further cell layer.

Abstract: Three-dimensional information on a biological parameter relating to at least one selected from viability, proliferating ability, migration, and differentiation of cultured cells can be obtained by a simple two-dimensional analytical technique by constructing a cell evaluation system including a multilayered cell sheet, target cells, and a two-dimensional analyzer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of treatment for ischemic heart disease administering a scar formation accelerator containing at least one selected from SFRP2, SFRP4, Midkine, Pleiotrophin and Thymosin beta-10 as an effective ingredient to promote scar formation less fibrosis and retaining elasticity, and thereby improving cardiac function.

Abstract: A method of obtaining pancreatic endocrine cells from cells originating in an adipose tissue characterized by comprising culturing the adipose tissue-origin cells; the pancreatic endocrine cells that can be obtained thereby; a method of treating or preventing a disease caused by the hypofunction in pancreatic endocrine cells wherein the above-described pancreatic endocrine cells are used; a method of screening a substance capable of promoting or inhibiting the differentiation into pancreatic endocrine cells characterized by comprising adding a candidate substance to a medium in the course of culturing adipose tissue-origin cells to obtain the pancreatic endocrine cells; and so on.

Abstract: Disclosed are: a method for producing a hepatic-lobule-like cell mass from an adipose-tissue-derived cell, which is characterized by culturing the adipose-tissue-derived cell; a hepatic-lobule-like cell mass produced by the method; a method for the screening of a substance capable of promoting or inhibiting the formation of a hepatic-lobule-like cell mass, which is characterized by culturing an adipose-tissue-derived cell to produce the hepatic-lobule-like cell mass, wherein a candidate substance is added to a culture medium; and a kit for use in the screening method.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cell mass containing an adipose-tissue-derived multipotent progenitor cell. Also disclosed is a method for producing an adipose-tissue-derived multipotent progenitor cell from an adipose tissue, which comprises the steps of: (a) removing erythrocytes from an adipose-tissue-derived cell mass to produce a preadipose-tissue-derived multipotent progenitor cell mass; and (b) removing cells other than the adipose-tissue-derived multipotent progenitor cell from the preadipose-tissue-derived multipotent progenitor cell mass to produce the desired adipose-tissue-derived multipotent progenitor cell. Further disclosed is an adipose-tissue-derived multipotent progenitor cell produced by the method.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide technology of using a preadipocyte to restore comprehensively bone, cartilage and periodontal ligament, and cause a periodontal hard tissue to regenerate. By culturing a preadipocyte using a culture medium containing (i) at least one member selected from the group consisting of glycerophosphate and salts thereof, and (ii) at least one member selected from the group consisting of ascorbic acid, derivatives thereof and salts thereof and not containing an adrenal cortical hormone in such an amount that promotes differentiation of a preadipocyte into a periodontal hard tissue cell, differentiation of the cell into a periodontal hard tissue cell is induced efficiently. Furthermore, a scaffold is combined with the preadipocyte cultured with the above-mentioned culture medium to be transplanted into a periodontal tissue that requires regeneration.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of treatment for ischemic heart disease administering a scar formation accelerator containing at least one selected from SFRP2, SFRP4, Midkine, Pleiotrophin and Thymosin beta-10 as an effective ingredient to promote scar formation less fibrosis and retaining elasticity, and thereby improving cardiac function.

Abstract: To provide a new reductive-stimuli-responsive degradable gel that allows any control of decomposition of the three-dimensional base material for cell culture and production of a completely biological three-dimensional cellular structure consisting only of cells and cells-produced extracellular matrix and that allows safe recovery of the cellular structure produced. A stimuli-responsive hydrogel, characterized by being produced by crosslinking a water-soluble polymer with a compound having a disulfide bond in the molecular chain.

Abstract: The present invention provides a medicament comprising a gene encoding an angiogenic cytokine for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), idiopathic cardiomyopathy (ICM), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) or heart failure, to be given in combination with ventricular assist device (VAD).

Abstract: The present invention provides introduction of NF-?B decoy oligodeoxynucleotide into rat cranial nerve through a carotid artery during global brain ischemia. Polymerase chain reaction demonstrated that one hour after global brain ischemia, transfected NF-?B decoy oligodeoxynucleotide effectively suppressed expression of tumor necrosis factor ?, interleukin 1? and intracellular adhesion molecule 1 messenger RNAs. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine nick-end labeling staining and immunohistochemistry using microtubule-associated protein 2 demonstrated that transfected NF-?B decoy oligodeoxynucleotide significantly attenuated neuronal damage seven days after global brain ischemia. Therapeutic transfection of NF-?B decoy oligodeoxynucleotide during brain ischemia may be effective for attenuation of neuronal damage, suggesting a strategy for protecting the cerebrum from global ischemia.