One embodiment of the present invention provides a nonwoven fabric containing silk fibers in which an abs intensity ratio [abs (1650)/abs (1620)], which is a ratio of an intensity of a peak positioned in a vicinity of 1650 cm.sup.−1 [abs (1650)] in an infrared absorption spectrum to an intensity of a peak positioned in a vicinity of 1620 cm.sup.−1 [abs (1620)] in an infrared absorption spectrum, is larger than 0.65 and 1.90 or less, and a method for producing the nonwoven fabric containing silk fibers.

A method of preparing a structure is provided. The method includes providing an initial structure; casting a first material in one or more void volumes of the initial structure; removing the initial structure from the first material; obtaining a cast structure comprising the first material; coating a second material on the cast structure; casting a third material using the coated cast structure; removing the first material; and obtaining a final structure. In various embodiments, the initial structure can include a first initial structure and a second initial structure and casting a first material in one or more first void volumes of the first initial structure and in one or more second void volumes of the second initial structure. In various embodiments, the method includes assembling the first cast structure and the second cast structure and obtaining an assembled structure comprising the first cast structure and the second cast structure.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a porous scaffold for tissue engineering. It is another object of the present invention to provide a porous scaffold obtainable by the method as above described, and its use for tissue engineering, cell culture and cell delivery. The method of the invention comprises the steps consisting of: a) preparing an alkaline aqueous solution comprising an amount of at least one polysaccharide, an amount of a cross-linking agent and an amount of a porogen agent b) transforming the solution into a hydrogel by placing said solution at a temperature from about 4° C. to about 80° C. for a sufficient time to allow the cross-linking of said amount of polysaccharide and c) submerging said hydrogel into an aqueous solution d) washing the porous scaffold obtained at step c).

A system for preventing thrombosis in an implantable medical device includes an implantable medical device sized for implantation at least partially within a patient's body. The device includes an at least partially electrically conductive portion that is disposed within a patient's body upon implantation, an electrode coupled to the electrically conductive portion of the device; and a power source coupled to the electrode. The power source provides a negative electric charge to the at least partially electrically conductive portion for an indefinite period of time. The device may be configured to resist thrombosis, infection, and/or undesired tissue growth via the charged conductive portion once implanted. Exemplary embodiments of the implantable medical device include a hemodialysis vasculature graft, a dialysis catheter, a coronary artery, and a heart valve.

The present disclosure provides a bioprinter nozzle, a bioprinter and a lumen tissue construct printing method. The bioprinter nozzle includes: a bio-ink flow channel disposed inside the bioprinter nozzle; a bio-ink ejection port in communication with the bio-ink flow channel and located on the lateral side of an ejection end of the bioprinter nozzle; a medical adhesive flow channel disposed inside the bioprinter nozzle and isolated from the bio-ink flow channel; and a medical adhesive ejection port in communication with the medical adhesive flow channel and disposed on the lateral side of the ejection end, the medical adhesive ejection port and the bio-ink ejection port being arranged in a staggered manner in the axial direction of the bioprinter nozzle. The bioprinter includes the bioprinter nozzle. The lumen tissue construct printing method uses the bioprinter for printing.

Provided is a cylindrical embedded material for medical use, in which a plurality of structure bodies are connected in an axial direction, wherein the structure body elements each have an enclosure part configured for enclosing inside thereof, wherein the cylindrical embedded material connection part in which a structure body element of a first structure body and a structure body element of a second structure body connected in the axial direction, wherein the enclosure part has a spacing part to separate the fibers, wherein the cylindrical embedded material has a covering part, and wherein the covering part has elasticity which allows for movement of the fibers to narrow the spacing part when an external force is applied to the structure body element and allows for restoration of positions of the moved fibers when the external force is removed.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include methods of simultaneously manufacturing two or more hydrogel constructs (e.g., tubular hydrogel constructs). In some embodiments, the method comprises one or more of the following steps: providing a vat comprising a bio-ink composition containing one or more monomers and/or one or more polymers; applying electromagnetic radiation from an electromagnetic radiation source to cure a layer of the hydrogel constructs (e.g., tubular hydrogel constructs); and applying electromagnetic radiation from the electromagnetic radiation source one or more additional times to produce one or more additional layers of the hydrogel constructs (e.g., tubular hydrogel constructs).

The systems and methods of the present disclosure can be used to generate systems and models that are physiologically relevant to the human and animal system. These physiological conditions can be designed to mimic the actual human condition for cell differentiation and proliferation. The system and methods of this present disclosure allow the formation of an appropriate biomaterial to mimic that which exists in a human or animal scaffold. Utilizing 3D printing technology, a hydrogel scaffold can be printed at various resolution very close to human physiological geometry. Additionally, the architecture can be optimized for the selected application and appropriate cells can be seeded on the scaffold prior to testing.

A method is disclosed for 3D printing of soft polymeric material such as a hydrogel or elastomer for scaffolds or devices with embedded channels with tunable shape and size such as a channel inner diameter). The method utilizes extrusion based printing of polymer solutions usually referred as direct ink writing (DIW) or BioPlotting, and requires sequential printing of a photocurable polymer solution, herein, referred as the matrix material, and a sacrificial polymer solution that may dissolve in an aqueous media.

A method is disclosed for 3D printing of soft polymeric material such as a hydrogel or elastomer for scaffolds or devices with embedded channels with tunable shape and size such as a channel inner diameter). The method utilizes extrusion based printing of polymer solutions usually referred as direct ink writing (DIW) or BioPlotting, and requires sequential printing of a photocurable polymer solution, herein, referred as the matrix material, and a sacrificial polymer solution that may dissolve in an aqueous media.