A 3D printed tubular construct, such as a nephron, with or without embedded vasculature as well as methods of printing tubular tissue constructs are described.

The problem of attaching a donor nerve stump to a recipient nerve for an end-to-side coaptation is solved by the use of a tissue connector. The tissue connector can have a body for receiving the donor nerve stump and one or more overflaps for attaching the tissue connector with the donor nerve stump therein to the epineurium on the side of the recipient nerve. Sutures can also be used to secure the tissue connector and nerves in place.

A composite dura substitute implant for implantation at a dura defect site having a porous layer that provides an osteoconductive scaffold for bony ingrowth, a porous layer that provides a scaffold for regeneration of collagen at a dura surface, and an intervening layer for preventing cerebrospinal leakage is disclosed. The composite dura substitute implant facilitates regeneration of dura mater and promotes osteointegration with bony tissue. Methods of manufacturing such an implant and methods of treatment using such composite dura substitute implants are further disclosed.

A nerve repair conduit configured to be secured on first and second portions of a selected nerve. The nerve repair conduit includes a polymeric body having a proximal end, a distal end, an exterior surface and an interior surface defining an interior lumen. In addition, the nerve conduit includes at least one drug reservoir to hold agent(s) that may, for example, facilitate nerve regeneration. The drugs diffuse from the drug reservoir(s) into the nerve repair conduit through an outlet (e.g., a semipermeable membrane) in proximity to the first and second portions of a selected nerve. The nerve repair conduit may be configured to deliver the agent(s) at a rate having substantially zero-order kinetics and/or at a constant rate over a selected period of time (e.g., at least 1 week).

The present invention relates to a peripheral nerve-specific hydrogel material, which is deliverable in a minimally invasive fashion, sustains the growth of neurons, and speeds recovery following surgical reconstruction.

The present invention relates to preparation and use of nanocellulose fibrils or crystals such as disintegrated bacterial nanocellulose, tunicate-derived nanocellulose, or plant-derived nanocellulose, together with carbon nanotubes, as a biocompatible and conductive ink for 3D printing of electrically conductive patterns. Biocompatible conductive bioinks described in this invention were printed in the form of connected lines onto wet or dried nanocellulose films, bacterial cellulose membrane, or tunicate decellularized tissue. The devices were biocompatible and showed excellent mechanical properties and good electrical conductivity through printed lines (3.8.Math.10.sup.1 S cm.sup.1). Such scaffolds were used to culture neural cells. Neural cells attached selectively on the printed pattern and formed connective networks. The devices prepared by this invention are suited as bioassays to screen drugs against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, study brain function, and/or be used to link the human brain with electronic and/or communication devices. They can also be implanted to replace neural tissue or stimulate guiding of neural cells. They can also be used to stimulate the heart by using electrical signaling or to repair myocardial infarction and/or damage related thereto.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a nerve conduit containing cells, more particularly to a method for preparing a porous nerve conduit containing cells, having micropores formed in microchannels, wherein the nerve conduit containing cells prepared according to the present invention can be usefully used in in-vitro and in-vivo researches on nerves.

Dural repair devices that are configured to effectively and reliably repair the damage of a dural tear due to incidental durotomies are provided, along with methods of use. The devices and methods enhance the ability of a surgeon to repair a patients dura mater, or dura, during surgery of the central nervous system. The dural repair device has a multi-layer structure configured to exert a pressure or tamponade effect to compress a patient's dura to its state prior to the spinal surgery. Thus, the dural repair devices and methods of use may reduce the patients risk morbidity, further surgery, spinal headaches, or other injuries and discomforts.

Particulated and reconstituted tissues comprising small, densely packed tissue microparticles encapsulated in a tissue specific promoting gel packed at a percolation threshold that can be transplanted into damaged tissue thereby facilitating regeneration following trauma to the tissue. The engineered microparticle construct for tissue replacement and repair, as taught herein, provides numerous benefits including (1) encouraging a regenerative response in damaged tissue regions, (2) mimicking the structural support of native tissue, (3) establishing an environment that promotes attachment, migration, and differentiation of infiltrating stem cells, and (4) providing a source of growth factors and other anti-catabolic growth factors and cytokines. Tissue specific microparticles packed together at, or past, their percolation threshold will provide the necessary mechanical environment and to best recapitulate and integrate with native tissue. The packing of microparticles, derived from the ECM of native tissue, to a concentration past the percolation point will yield both the necessary biochemical and biomechanical properties necessary for reconstituting a specific tissue.

A composite dura substitute implant for implantation at a dura defect site having a porous layer that provides an osteoconductive scaffold for bony ingrowth, a porous layer that provides a scaffold for regeneration of collagen at a dura surface, and an intervening layer for preventing cerebrospinal leakage is disclosed. The composite dura substitute implant facilitates regeneration of dura mater and promotes osteointegration with bony tissue. Methods of manufacturing such an implant and methods of treatment using such composite dura substitute implants are further disclosed.