In manufacturing an LSI, or semiconductor integrated circuit device, the step of assembling device (such as resin sealing step) is normally followed by a voltage-application test in an environment of high temperature (e.g., from 85 to 130° C.) and high humidity (e.g., about 80% RH). It has been found that separation of a titanium nitride anti-reflection film from an upper film and generation of cracks in the titanium nitride film at an upper surface edge part of the aluminum-based bonding pad applied with a positive voltage in the test is caused by an electrochemical reaction due to moisture incoming through the sealing resin and the like to generate oxidation and bulging of the titanium nitride film. These problems are addressed by removing the titanium nitride film over the pad in a ring or slit shape at peripheral area of the aluminum-based bonding pad.

A larger substrate can be used, and a transistor having a desirably high field-effect mobility can be manufactured through formation of an oxide semiconductor layer having a high degree of crystallinity, whereby a large-sized display device, a high-performance semiconductor device, or the like can be put into practical use. A first multi-component oxide semiconductor layer is formed over a substrate and a single-component oxide semiconductor layer is formed thereover; then, crystal growth is carried out from a surface to an inside by performing heat treatment at 500° C. to 1000° C. inclusive, preferably 550° C. to 750° C. inclusive so that a first multi-component oxide semiconductor layer including single crystal regions and a single-component oxide semiconductor layer including single crystal regions are formed; and a second multi-component oxide semiconductor layer including single crystal regions is stacked over the single-component oxide semiconductor layer including single crystal regions.

A method for manufacturing a light-emitting device includes a step of forming an etching resistant protection layer on a substrate provided with an organic planarizing layer, a step of forming a plurality of electrodes on the etching resistant protection layer, a step of forming an organic compound layer on the substrate provided with the plurality of electrodes, a step of forming a resist layer on the organic compound layer formed on parts of electrodes among the plurality of electrodes using a photolithographic method, and a step of removing the organic compound layer in a region not covered with the resist layer by dry etching, wherein an entire surface of the organic planarizing layer on the substrate on which steps up to the step of forming the plurality of electrodes have been performed is covered with at least one of the etching resistant protection layer and the electrode.

An object of an embodiment of the present invention to be disclosed is to prevent oxygen from being taken in a single crystal semiconductor layer in laser irradiation even when crystallinity of the single crystal semiconductor layer is repaired by irradiation with a laser beam; and to make substantially equal or reduce an oxygen concentration in the semiconductor layer after the laser irradiation comparing before the laser irradiation. A single crystal semiconductor layer which is provided over a base substrate by bonding is irradiated with a laser beam, whereby the crystallinity of the single crystal semiconductor layer is repaired. The laser irradiation is performed under a reducing atmosphere or an inert atmosphere.

A first impurity region is formed by ion implantation through a first opening formed in a mask layer. By depositing a spacer layer on an etching stop layer on which the mask layer has been provided, a mask portion having the mask layer and the spacer layer is formed. By anisotropically etching the spacer layer, a second opening surrounded by a second sidewall is formed in the mask portion. A second impurity region is formed by ion implantation through the second opening. An angle of the second sidewall with respect to a surface is 90°±10° across a height as great as a second depth. Thus, accuracy in extension of an impurity region can be enhanced.

A semiconductor device has a semiconductor wafer with a plurality of contact pads. A first insulating layer is formed over the semiconductor wafer and contact pads. A portion of the first insulating layer is removed, exposing a first portion of the contact pads, while leaving a second portion of the contact pads covered. An under bump metallization layer and a plurality of bumps is formed over the contact pads and the first insulating layer. A second insulating layer is formed over the first insulating layer, a sidewall of the under bump metallization layer, sidewall of the bumps, and upper surface of the bumps. A portion of the second insulating layer covering the upper surface of the bumps is removed, but the second insulating layer is maintained over the sidewall of the bumps and the sidewall of the under bump metallization layer.

A method of making a microelectronic package includes forming a dielectric encapsulation layer on an in-process unit having a substrate having a first surface and a second surface remote therefrom. A microelectronic element is mounted to the first surface of the substrate, and a plurality of conductive elements exposed at the first surface, at least some of which are electrically connected to the microelectronic element. Wire bonds have bases joined to the conductive elements and end surfaces remote from the bases and define an edge surface extending away between the base and the end surface. The encapsulation layer is formed to at least partially cover the first surface and portions of the wire bonds with unencapsulated portions of the wire bonds being defined by at least one of the end surface or a portion of the edge surface that is uncovered thereby.

Embodiments of a method for fabricating stacked microelectronic packages are provided, as are embodiments of a stacked microelectronic package. In one embodiment, the method includes arranging microelectronic device panels in a panel stack. Each microelectronic device panel includes a plurality of microelectronic devices and a plurality of package edge conductors extending therefrom. Trenches are formed in the panel stack exposing the plurality of package edge conductors. An electrically-conductive material is deposited into the trenches and contacts the plurality of package edge conductors exposed therethrough. The panel stack is then separated into partially-completed stacked microelectronic packages. For at least one of the partially-completed stacked microelectronic packages, selected portions of the electrically-conductive material are removed to define a plurality of patterned sidewall conductors interconnecting the microelectronic devices included within the stacked microelectronic package.

It is an object to provide a semiconductor device including a thin film transistor with favorable electric properties and high reliability, and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device with high productivity. In an inverted staggered (bottom gate) thin film transistor, an oxide semiconductor film containing In, Ga, and Zn is used as a semiconductor layer, and a buffer layer formed using a metal oxide layer is provided between the semiconductor layer and a source and drain electrode layers. The metal oxide layer is intentionally provided as the buffer layer between the semiconductor layer and the source and drain electrode layers, whereby ohmic contact is obtained.

A process for preparing a semiconductor structure for mounting to a carrier is disclosed. The process involves causing a support material to substantially fill a void defined by surfaces formed in the semiconductor structure and causing the support material to solidify sufficiently to support the semiconductor structure when mounted to the carrier.

A III-N device is described with a III-N material layer, an insulator layer on a surface of the III-N material layer, an etch stop layer on an opposite side of the insulator layer from the III-N material layer, and an electrode defining layer on an opposite side of the etch stop layer from the insulator layer. A recess is formed in the electrode defining layer. An electrode is formed in the recess. The insulator can have a precisely controlled thickness, particularly between the electrode and III-N material layer.

The object of the invention is to provide a method for fabricating a semiconductor device having a peeled layer bonded to a base material with curvature. Particularly, the object is to provide a method for fabricating a display with curvature, more specifically, a light emitting device having an OLED bonded to a base material with curvature. An external force is applied to a support originally having curvature and elasticity, and the support is bonded to a peeled layer formed over a substrate. Then, when the substrate is peeled, the support returns into the original shape by the restoring force, and the peeled layer as well is curved along the shape of the support. Finally, a transfer object originally having curvature is bonded to the peeled layer, and then a device with a desired curvature is completed.

Methods for fabricating integrated circuits include fabricating a logic device on a substrate, forming an intermediate semiconductor substrate on a surface of the logic device, and fabricating a capacitor-less memory cell on the intermediate semiconductor substrate. Integrated circuits with capacitor-less memory cells formed on a surface of a logic device are also disclosed, as are multi-core microprocessors including such integrated circuits.

Embodiments generally relate to optoelectronic devices and more specifically, to textured layers in optoelectronic devices. In one embodiment, a method for providing a textured layer in an optoelectronic device includes depositing a first layer of a first material and depositing an island layer of a second material on the first layer. Depositing the island layer includes forming one or more islands of the second material to provide at least one textured surface of the island layer, where the textured surface is operative to cause scattering of light.

Disclosed is a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor film. A first oxide semiconductor film with a thickness of greater than or equal to 2 nm and less than or equal to 15 nm is formed over a gate insulating layer. First heat treatment is performed so that crystal growth from a surface of the first oxide semiconductor film to the inside thereof is caused, whereby a first crystal layer is formed. A second oxide semiconductor film with a thickness greater than that of the first oxide semiconductor film is formed over the first crystal layer. Second heat treatment is performed so that crystal growth from the first crystal layer to a surface of the second oxide semiconductor film is caused, whereby a second crystal layer is formed. Further, oxygen doping treatment is performed on the second crystal layer.

To provide a method by which a semiconductor device including a thin film transistor with excellent electric characteristics and high reliability is manufactured with a small number of steps. After a channel protective layer is formed over an oxide semiconductor film containing In, Ga, and Zn, a film having n-type conductivity and a conductive film are formed, and a resist mask is formed over the conductive film. The conductive film, the film having n-type conductivity, and the oxide semiconductor film containing In, Ga, and Zn are etched using the channel protective layer and gate insulating films as etching stoppers with the resist mask, so that source and drain electrode layers, a buffer layer, and a semiconductor layer are formed.

An object is to provide a thin film transistor and a method for manufacturing the thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor with a controlled threshold voltage, high operation speed, a relatively easy manufacturing process, and sufficient reliability. An impurity having influence on carrier concentration in the oxide semiconductor layer, such as a hydrogen atom or a compound containing a hydrogen atom such as H2O, may be eliminated. An oxide insulating layer containing a large number of defects such as dangling bonds may be formed in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer, such that the impurity diffuses into the oxide insulating layer and the impurity concentration in the oxide semiconductor layer is reduced. The oxide semiconductor layer or the oxide insulating layer in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer may be formed in a deposition chamber which is evacuated with use of a cryopump whereby the impurity concentration is reduced.

A method for producing a Ga-containing group III nitride semiconductor having reduced threading dislocation is disclosed. A buffer layer in a polycrystal, amorphous or polycrystal/amorphous mixed state, comprising AlGaN is formed on a substrate. The substrate having the buffer layer formed thereon is heat-treated at a temperature higher than a temperature at which a single crystal of a Ga-containing group III nitride semiconductor grows on the buffer layer and at a temperature that the Ga-containing group III nitride semiconductor does not grow, to reduce crystal nucleus density of the buffer layer as compared with the density before the heat treatment. After the heat treatment, the temperature of the substrate is decreased to a temperature that the Ga-containing group III nitride semiconductor grows, the temperature is maintained, and the Ga-containing group III nitride semiconductor is grown on the buffer layer.

A microelectronic assembly and method of making, which includes a first microelectronic element (including a substrate with first and second opposing surfaces, a semiconductor device, and conductive pads at the first surface which are electrically coupled to the semiconductor device) and a second microelectronic element (including a handler with first and second opposing surfaces, a second semiconductor device, and conductive pads at the handler first surface which are electrically coupled to the second semiconductor device). The first and second microelectronic elements are integrated such that the second surfaces face each other. The first microelectronic element includes conductive elements each extending from one of its conductive pads, through the substrate to the second surface. The second microelectronic element includes conductive elements each extending between the handler first and second surfaces. The conductive elements of the first microelectronics element are electrically coupled to the conductive elements of the second microelectronics element.

A semiconductor device has a protective layer formed over an active surface of a semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor die with pre-applied protective layer are moved from the semiconductor wafer and mounted on a carrier. The semiconductor die and contact pads on the carrier are encapsulated. The carrier is removed. A first insulating layer is formed over the pre-applied protective layer and contact pads. Vias are formed in the first insulating layer and pre-applied protective layer to expose interconnect sites on the semiconductor die. An interconnect structure is formed over the first insulating layer in electrical contact with the interconnect sites on the semiconductor die and contact pads. The interconnect structure has a redistribution layer formed on the first insulating layer, a second insulating layer formed on the redistribution layer, and an under bump metallization layer formed over the second dielectric in electrical contact with the redistribution layer.

A semiconductor device having favorable electric characteristics and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. A transistor includes an oxide semiconductor layer formed over an insulating layer, a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer which overlap with part of the oxide semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer in contact with part of the oxide semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode layer over the gate insulating layer. In the transistor, a buffer layer having n-type conductivity is formed between the source electrode layer and the oxide semiconductor layer and between the drain electrode layer and the oxide semiconductor layer. Thus, parasitic resistance is reduced, resulting in improvement of on-state characteristics of the transistor.

When forming sophisticated semiconductor-based gate electrode structures of transistors, the pre-doping of one type of gate electrode structure may be accomplished after the actual patterning of the electrode material by using an appropriate mask or fill material for covering the active regions and using a lithography mask. In this manner, a high degree of flexibility is provided with respect to selecting an appropriate patterning regime, while at the same time a uniform and superior cross-sectional shape for any type of gate electrode structure is obtained.

A highly reliable semiconductor device is manufactured by giving stable electric characteristics to a transistor in which an oxide semiconductor film is used for a channel. An oxide semiconductor film which can have a first crystal structure by heat treatment and an oxide semiconductor film which can have a second crystal structure by heat treatment are formed so as to be stacked, and then heat treatment is performed; accordingly, crystal growth occurs with the use of an oxide semiconductor film having the second crystal structure as a seed, so that an oxide semiconductor film having the first crystal structure is formed. An oxide semiconductor film formed in this manner is used for an active layer of the transistor.

A method for forming an amorphous semiconductor which contains an impurity element and has low resistivity and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with excellent electrical characteristics with high yield are provided. In the method for forming an amorphous semiconductor containing an impurity element, which utilizes a plasma CVD method, pulse-modulated discharge inception voltage is applied to electrodes under the pressure and electrode distance with which the minimum discharge inception voltage according to Paschen's Law can be obtained, whereby the amorphous semiconductor which contains an impurity element and has low resistivity is formed.

A protective film to a polarizer including a cellulose acylate and satisfying the following requirement (1) or (2): (1): The surface of the film has a pH of from 3.0 to 4.5.(2): The surface of the film has a pH of more than 4.5 and at most 6.0, and the film has a moisture permeability of at least 2800 g/m2·day.

A vehicular imaging and display system includes a rear backup camera at a rear portion of a vehicle, a video processor for processing image data captured by the rear camera, and a video display screen responsive to the video processor to display video images. During a reversing maneuver of the equipped vehicle, the video display screen displays video images captured by the rear camera. During forward travel of the equipped vehicle, the video display screen is operable to display images representative of a portion of the field of view of the rear camera to display images representative of an area sideward of the equipped vehicle responsive to at least one of (a) actuation of a turn signal indicator of the vehicle, (b) detection of a vehicle in a side lane adjacent to the equipped vehicle and (c) a lane departure warning system of the vehicle.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a projection image display device in which all of the multiple light sources to be used are positioned optimally, regardless of the mode of installation of the device. This projection image display device has two illumination optical systems (1, 2) that are each provided with a light source (111, 211), a color separator for separating into three colors of light, a liquid crystal panel (150, 250) for forming an optical image, and a color synthesis prism (160, 260) for color-synthesizing. A polarization beam splitter (3) for synthesis synthesizes an optical image formed by the illumination optical system (1, 2), and projects the same from a projection lens (4). The optical axis (101, 201) of each light source (111, 211) is positioned within the same plane as the optical axis (401) of the projection lens (4), and so as to orthogonally intersect the optical axis (401) of the projection lens.

A sensor substrate includes a blocking pattern disposed on a base substrate, a first electrode disposed on the base substrate and overlapping the blocking pattern, the first electrode including a plurality of first unit parts arranged in a first direction, each of the first unit parts including a plurality of lines connected to each other in a mesh-type arrangement, a color filter layer disposed on the base substrate, a plurality of contact holes defined in the color filter layer and exposing the first unit parts, and a bridge line between and connected to first unit parts adjacent to each other in the first direction, through the contact holes.

An opposed substrate (9') comprises: a substrate (1); a static electricity protective electrode (2), a bridging electrode (4) and a touch induction electrode (6) comprising a plurality of sub-units sequentially formed on the substrate (1), wherein the distribution of the static electricity protective electrode (2) on the substrate (1) corresponds to dummy regions between sub-units, and the static electricity protective electrode (2), the bridging electrode (4) and the touch induction electrode (6) are insulated from each other. The opposed substrate (9') has a good touching effect. A method for manufacturing the opposed substrate, and a liquid crystal display touch panel are also disclosed.

In a semiconductor device, a first interlayer insulating layer made of an inorganic material and formed on inverse stagger type TFTs, a second interlayer insulating layer made of an organic material and formed on the first interlayer insulating layer, and a pixel electrode formed in contact with the second interlayer insulating layer are disposed on a substrate, and an input terminal portion that is electrically connected to a wiring of another substrate is provided on an end portion of the substrate. The input terminal portion includes a first layer made of the same material as that of the gate electrode and a second layer made of the same material as that of the pixel electrode. With this structure, the number of photomasks used in the photolithography method can be reduced to 5.

Provided is a back plate component having reflective sheet reinforcing structure. The back plate component includes: a frame, a reflective sheet and a plurality of supporting film sheets. The frame includes a plurality of lateral beams and vertical beams, and at least one hollow part is included between the lateral beams and the vertical beams. The reflective sheet is attached to the frame, and includes a reflective surface and a back surface corresponding to the reflective surface. A portion of the back surface covers the whole hollow part. The plurality of supporting film sheets is attached to the back surface at a region corresponding to the hollow part, and includes a material the same as that of the reflective sheet. A liquid crystal display device is further disclosed herein.

A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a first electrode on the first substrate, a second substrate opposed to the first substrate, and a second electrode on the second substrate. The second electrode corresponds to the first electrode. The liquid crystal display device also includes a liquid crystal structure between the first electrode and the second electrode. The liquid crystal structure includes a plurality of liquid crystal molecules and at least one movement control member. The movement control member in the liquid crystal structure restricts a movement of the liquid crystal molecules.

The present invention provides an optical compensated bending (OCB) mode liquid crystal display (LCD) panel and a method for manufacturing the same. The method comprises the following steps: forming alignment layers on substrate, respectively; forming a liquid crystal layer between the alignment layers to form a liquid crystal cell; applying an electrical signal across the liquid crystal cell; and irradiating light rays to or heating the liquid crystal cell, so as to form a first polymer alignment layer and a second polymer alignment layer, respectively. The present invention can reduce a phase transition time of liquid crystal molecules from a splay state to a bent state.

A counter substrate for liquid crystal display includes a transparent substrate, a black matrix, and stripe transparent electrodes. The black matrix divides a plane surface of the transparent substrate into pixel or sub-pixel unit to form a light-shielded area and openings above the plane surface. The stripe transparent electrodes are formed into the pixel unit or the sub-pixel unit above the plane surface. The black matrix includes a frame pattern including two sides facing each other in parallel in the pixel or the sub-pixel unit, and a linear central pattern which is parallel to the two sides of the frame pattern and is formed at a midsection of the pixel or the sub-pixel unit. The transparent electrodes are each parallel to the two sides of the frame pattern and the central pattern and are located symmetrically to the central pattern.

A display device uses a multilayer film (104), which reflects (red) light having wavelengths between about 600 and 800 nm at a 60 degree angle of incidence (114), to protect a liquid crystal panel (102) from heat and sun damage. The film (104) transmits light of the visible band with a wavelength between about 420 and 650 nm at normal incidence (116). The outermost surface (106) of the film (104) may be a hard coat (124). A metal oxide layer (120) and a metal layer (130) may be included to reflect IR light greater in wavelength than about 850 nm.

Disclosed herein is a liquid crystal display device including a plurality of pixels each having a reflecting section and a transmitting section, the pixels each including a plurality of sub-pixels resulting from alignment division, the liquid crystal display device including: an element layer formed on a substrate; an insulating film formed on the substrate so as to cover the element layer; a pixel electrode formed on the insulating film so as to be connected to the element layer; a gap adjusting layer formed on the insulating film on the element layer including a region of connection between the element layer and the pixel electrode; and a dielectric formed on a connecting part for making an electric connection between the sub-pixels.

A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display element including a first alignment film and a second alignment film and a liquid crystal layer that is provided between the first alignment film and the second alignment film, wherein the first alignment film includes a compound in which a polymer compound that includes a cross-linked functional group or a polymerized functional group as a side chain is cross-linked or polymerized, the second alignment film includes the same compound as the compound that configures the first alignment film, and the formation and processing of the second alignment film is different from the formation and processing of the first alignment film and when a pretilt angle of the liquid crystal molecules which is conferred by the first alignment film is θ1 and a pretilt angle of the liquid crystal molecules which is conferred by the second alignment film is θ2, θ1>θ2.

The present invention provides a display device substrate, a display device substrate manufacturing method, a display device, a liquid crystal display device, a liquid crystal display device manufacturing method and an organic electroluminescent display device that allow suppressing faults derived from occurrence of gas and/or bubbles in a pixel region. The present invention is a display device substrate that comprises: a photosensitive resin film; and a pixel electrode, in this order, from a side of an insulating substrate. The display device substrate has a gas-barrier insulating film, at a layer higher than the photosensitive resin film, for preventing advance of a gas generated from the photosensitive resin film, or has a gas-barrier insulating film, between the photosensitive resin film and the pixel electrode, for preventing advance of gas generated from the photosensitive resin film.

The present invention discloses a tape substrate for chip on film structure of a liquid crystal panel. The tape substrate is provided with plural package units of chip on film structures arranged along its longitudinal direction, and the package unit has a driver chip, input leads and output leads. The longitudinal direction of the driver chip is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the tape substrate, and the input leads and the output leads are located at the two opposite sides of the driver chip. Each package unit is set up with a short side and a long side, and the input leads are formed at the short side, while the output leads are formed at the long side. In the package units adjacent to each other, the short side of one package unit joins the long side of a next package unit. This invention further discloses a liquid crystal panel having the tape substrate.

A display apparatus includes a lower substrate, an upper substrate, a spacer and an image display layer. The spacer includes a main spacer, a first sub-spacer and a second sub-spacer. The main spacer has a height greater than that of the first and second sub-spacers. The second sub-spacer has an area wider than that of the main spacer and the first sub-spacer.

Embodiments of the disclosed technology relate to a color filter substrate and a method of manufacturing the same. The color filter substrate comprises a base substrate having a black matrix pattern thereon, the black matrix pattern having a plurality of openings; and a plurality of color filter layers in different colors, disposed on the base substrate and located at the openings of the black matrix pattern, the color filter layers being glass layers in different colors.

A liquid crystal display panel, including: a pixel electrode formed on a first substrate; an alignment layer formed on the pixel electrode, wherein the alignment layer includes an alignment layer material and aligns first liquid crystal molecules in a direction substantially perpendicular to the pixel electrode; and a photo hardening layer formed on the alignment layer, wherein the photo hardening layer includes a photo hardening layer material and aligns second liquid crystal molecules to be tilted with respect to the pixel electrode, wherein the alignment layer material and the photo hardening layer material have different polarities from each other.

A liquid crystal display capable of realizing a high transmittance while maintaining favorable voltage response characteristics, and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The liquid crystal display includes: a liquid crystal layer; a first substrate and a second substrate arranged to face each other with the liquid crystal layer in between; a plurality of pixel electrodes provided on a liquid crystal layer side of the first substrate; and an opposite electrode provided on the second substrate to face the plurality of pixel electrodes. One or both of a face on the liquid crystal layer side of the pixel electrode, and a face on the liquid crystal layer side of the opposite electrode includes a concavo-convex structure.

An optical element includes at least two stacked birefringent layers having respective local optical axes that are rotated by respective twist angles over respective thicknesses of the at least two layers, and are aligned along respective interfaces between the at least two layers. The respective twist angles and/or the respective thicknesses are different. The at least two stacked birefringent layers may be liquid crystal polymer optical retarder layers. Related devices and fabrication methods are also discussed.

According to one embodiment, a first gene encodes a reporter protein. The first gene is disposed at the downstream of the gene promoter. A second gene is disposed at the downstream of the gene promoter and encodes a replication origin-binding protein. An internal ribosome entry site is disposed between the first gene and the second gene. The transcription termination signal sequence encodes a signal for terminating the transcription of the first gene and the second gene. A replication origin sequence is recognized by the replication origin-binding protein.

The present invention relates to an anti-human α9 integrin antibody. More particularly, the present invention relates to: a monoclonal antibody, a chimeric antibody, a humanized antibody and a human antibody that specifically recognize human α9 integrin; a hybridoma cell that produces the monoclonal antibody; a method for producing the monoclonal antibody; a method for producing the hybridoma cell; a therapeutic agent comprising the anti-human α9 integrin antibody; a diagnostic agent comprising the human α9 integrin antibody; and a method for screening for a compound that inhibits the activity of human α9 integrin.

The present invention relates to the development and manufacturing of viral vaccines. In particular, the invention relates to the field of industrial production of viral vectors and vaccines, more in particular to the use of avian embryonic stem cells, preferably the EBx® cell line derived from chicken embryonic stem cells, for the production of viral vectors and viruses. The invention is particularly useful for the industrial production of viral vaccines to prevent viral infection of humans and animals.

A method of expanding and maintaining human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) in an undifferentiated state by culturing the ESCs in a suspension culture under culturing conditions devoid of substrate adherence is provided. Also provided are a method of deriving ESC lines in the suspension culture and methods of generating lineage-specific cells from ESCs which were expanded in the suspension culture of the present invention.

Thrombospondin 1 (TSP-1), TSP-2, interleukin 17B receptor (IL-17BR) and heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) associated with stem cell activity and use thereof.

The present invention relates to the generation of a mucin-producing cell using stem/progenitor cells obtained from the amniotic membrane of umbilical cord and therapeutic uses of such mucin-producing cells.