A scaffold comprising an aligned fiber. Further, a scaffold comprising one or more electrospun fibers wherein a fast Fourier transform (FFT) analysis result of the fibers have adjacent major peaks with about 180 apart from each other. Also, methods for promoting differentiation of stem cells into osteoblasts, chondrocytes, ligament or tendon, the method comprising culturing the cells on the scaffold or aligned fiber in conditions suitable for the cell differentiation.

The disclosure provides a method of delivering a polypeptide molecule to an Otx2 target cell, including contacting the target cell with a chimeric polypeptide having (i) a targeting peptide consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2 and (ii) the polypeptide molecule.

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 facilitate nerve regeneration. The drugs diffuse from the drug reservoir(s) into the nerve repair conduit through an outlet (such as a hole or 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.

Methods are disclosed for forming tissue engineered, tubular bowel constructs from intestinal circular smooth muscle cells and enteric neural progenitor cells. The intestinal smooth muscle cells and neural progenitor cells can be seeded on a mold with a surface texture that induces longitudinal alignment of the intestinal smooth muscle cells and co-cultured until an innervated aligned smooth muscle sheet is obtained. The innervated smooth muscle sheet can then be wrapped around a tubular scaffold to form an intestinal tissue construct.

Collagen compositions, methods for preparing those collagen compositions, and 3D constructs formed from those collagen compositions are provided. In particular, methods of isolating collagen that exhibits an enhanced rate of gelling, such collagen compositions, and 3D constructs formed from such collagen compositions are provided.

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 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.

The invention relates to the use of a homeoprotein of the bicoid family, in particular of the Otx family, for enhancing the survival of cultivated retinal ganglion neurones, and for preventing or treating ganglion neuron degeneration particularly occurring in glaucoma.

The present invention includes a composition comprising a tissue engineered axonal tract, as well as a method of making it. The invention also includes methods for treating nerve injury in a subject by contacting the site of nerve injury with a tissue engineered axonal tract, wherein the axons from the tissue engineered axonal tract fuse with axons from the subject.