The present invention provides: a method for producing mixed cells comprising cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells and mural cells from induced pluripotent stem cells, the method comprising (a) a step of producing cardiomyocytes from induced pluripotent stem cells and (b) a step of culturing the cardiomyocytes in the presence of VEGF; and a therapeutic agent for heart diseases, comprising the mixed cells produced by the method.

The present invention is directed to a method of producing a tissue graft, comprising at least steps of providing a gel, seeding the gel with cells of at least a first and/or cells of a second type, and culturing of the cells of the first and/or cells of the second type in said gel until the formation of at least one first biostructure in the gel by the cells of the first type and/or the cells of the second type.

Provided herein are human arterial endothelial cell-seeded polymeric vascular grafts suitable for replacing or bypassing natural blood vessels and exhibiting increased long term patency rates and reduced leukocyte adhesion relative to grafts comprising venous endothelial cells. Methods for generating the human arterial endothelial cell-seeded vascular grafts and therapeutic uses of the same are also described.

A composite material can include a gel and at least one nanostructure disposed within the gel. A method for healing a soft tissue defect can include applying a composite material to a soft tissue defect, wherein the composite material includes a gel and a nanostructure disposed within the gel. A method for manufacturing a composite material for use in healing soft tissue defects can include providing a gel and disposing nanofibers within the gel.

This invention is directed to structural units and bioscaffolds that comprise the same for in vivo use.

A system for mimicking a blood vessel of a patient includes a microfluidic device including a body and a microfluidic channel formed in the body, wherein the microfluidic channel includes a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and a coating formed on the microfluidic channel including a plurality of blood outgrowth endothelial cells (BOECs) isolated from the patient and which define an inner surface of the microfluidic channel.

The present invention relates to poly(alkylene terephthalate) polyesters having long poly-methylene segments and their use in a wide variety of applications. Particularly, said PAT polyesters are used in biotechnological or biomedical applications, wherein the extent of cell adhesion, cell growth or cell interaction, in particular endothelial cells, depends on the odd or even number of carbon atoms in the aliphatic segments. Also provided are methods for the preparation of poly(alkylene terephthalates) (PAT) having long poly-methylene segments, wherein the bifunctional monomers, in particular terephthalic acid (or a derivative thereof) and an aliphatic diol, are dissolved in a solvent and the polycondensation reaction takes place in solution.

The present invention provides tissue equivalent scaffold structures and methods of production thereof. Such methods include providing a casting chamber comprising an elongate mould portion, axially disposing a lumen template within the elongate mould portion, and at least partly filling the casting chamber with a gel casting material comprising a matrix of fibrils or fibres and an interstitial fluid phase, such that a portion of the lumen template extends above the casting material. The fluid phase of the gel is allow to flow axially out of the elongate mould portion, in a restricted manner, thereby resulting in axial densification of the gel casting material to form a tissue equivalent tubular scaffold. Tissue equivalent scaffold structures according to the present invention are able to support cell populations both within the walls and on the surface of the construct. They have enhanced mechanical strength due to increased collagen density, and are customisable in terms of luminal diameter and wall thickness. They may find application in tubular tissue engineering.

Assemblies for storing, handling, transporting, viewing, evaluating, and/or shipping corneal tissue are provided. The assembly includes a corneal tissue carrier, optimized for DSAEK and UT-DSAEK corneal grafts, within a transport vial, the transport vial removably coupled to a stabilization base, wherein the ease of access to the graft carrier allows administering the corneal tissue sample to a patient in rapid succession so that more surgeries can be performed by a single surgeon in a single day.

The present invention provides a method of constituting a tissue construct in vitro using a tissue without depending on scaffold materials.

A method of integrating a biological tissue with a vascular system in vitro, comprising coculturing a biological tissue with vascular cells and mesenchymal cells. A biological tissue which has been integrated with a vascular system by the above-described method. A method of preparing a tissue or an organ, comprising transplanting the biological tissue described above into a non-human animal and differentiating the biological tissue into a tissue or an organ in which vascular networks have been constructed. A method of regeneration or function recovery of a tissue or an organ, comprising transplanting the biological tissue described above into a human or a non-human animal and differentiating the biological tissue into a tissue or an organ in which vascular networks have been constructed. A method of preparing a non-human chimeric animal, comprising transplanting the biological tissue described above into a non-human animal and differentiating the biological tissue into a tissue or organ in which vascular networks have been constructed. A method of evaluating a drug, comprising using at least one member selected from the group consisting of the biological tissue described above, the tissue or organ prepared by the method described above, and the non-human chimeric animal prepared by the method described above. A composition for regenerative medicine, comprising a biological tissue which has been integrated with a vascular system by the method described above.