The present invention relates to a method of providing a graft scaffold for cartilage repair, particularly in a human patient. The method of the invention comprising the steps of providing particles and/or fibres; providing an aqueous solution of a gelling polysaccharide; providing mammalian cells; mixing said particles and/or fibres, said aqueous solution of a gelling polysaccharide and said mammalian cells to obtain a printing mix; and depositing said printing mix in a three-dimensional form. The invention further relates to graft scaffolds and grafts obtained by the method of the invention.

Provided is a cell sheet suitable for cartilage repair. The present invention provides a cell sheet for cartilage repair, formed from a culture of cells derived from a cartilage tissue, and the cell sheet is negative for immunostaining using an antibody against type II collagen. The present invention also provides a method for producing a cell sheet for cartilage repair, formed from a culture of cells derived from a cartilage tissue, and the method includes culturing cells derived from a cartilage tissue on a surface of a membrane, where a temperature-responsive polymer is immobilized on the surface, to give the cell sheet. The culturing is stopped before the cell sheet becomes positive for immunostaining using an antibody against type II collagen.

The present invention provides a composition for regenerating nucleus pulposus and a composition for regenerating an intervertebral disc tissue, each comprising fetal cartilage tissue-derived cells and a fetal cartilage tissue-derived extracellular matrix as active ingredients, and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the composition as an active ingredient for preventing or treating a vertebral disease. Simulating features of the nucleus pulposus, such as compression and tensile strength, the composition for regenerating nucleus pulposus can be regenerated into a tissue similar thereto. The composition for regenerating nucleus pulposus can be implanted into an intervertebral disc to restore an injured intervertebral disc tissue. Hence, the pharmaceutical composition comprising same for preventing or treating a vertebral disease can be used as a basic therapeutic agent for a vertebral disease such as a herniated intervertebral disc.

The present disclosure describes methods of treating an injury in a subject using placental tissue streamers, engineered tissue placental tissue hybrids, suture placental tissue hybrids, placental tissue patch hybrids, and tissue hybrids, and the use of these compositions to repair, treat, or support an injury or degenerative process in a subject.

The present invention relates to a tissue-engineered intervertebral disc (IVD) suitable for total disc replacement in a mammal and methods of fabrication. The IVD comprises a nucleus pulposus structure comprising a first population of living cells that secrete a hydrophilic protein and an annulus fibrosis structure surrounding and in contact with the nucleus pulposus structure, the annulus fibrosis structure comprising a second population of living cells and type I collagen. The collagen fibrils in the annulus fibrosis structure are circumferentially aligned around the nucleus pulposus region due to cell-mediated contraction in the annulus fibrosis structure. Also disclosed are methods of fabricating tissue-engineered intervertebral discs.

Embodiments of the disclosure include methods and compositions related to preparation of fibroblasts for use of treatment and prevention of a degenerative disc in an individual. In particular cases, fibroblasts are subject to de-differentiation that results in enhancement of their therapeutic activity and such methods include exposure of the fibroblasts to one or more agents and/or conditions.

A biologic composition responsive to inflammation has an allograft scaffold matrix for injection or implantation. The allograft scaffold matrix has donor quiescent and/or senescent cells. The donor quiescent and/or senescent cells react in response to signaling of inflammation from host cells or matrix. The reaction to signaling causes the donor quiescent and/or senescent cells to secrete anti-inflammatory cytokines and secrete exosomes to initiate regeneration of the area of the inflammation. The biologic composition further has a cryoprotectant. The cryoprotectant is a polyampholyte, preferably the polyampholyte is an ε-poly-L-lysine. The cryoprotectant is not DMSO or glycerol based. The cryoprotectant is suitable for direct implantation without washing from the allograft scaffold matrix in either a diluted or non-diluted state.

The present disclosure describes methods of treating an injury in a subject using placental tissue streamers, engineered tissue placental tissue hybrids, suture placental tissue hybrids, placental tissue patch hybrids, and tissue hybrids, and the use of these compositions to repair, treat, or support an injury or degenerative process in a subject.

This invention is directed to novel compositions containing a source of precursors to Type I collagen, an collagenic organic acid, an aldehyde, a polyol, an aldose, esters or salts or any combinations thereof, a blend of collagenic monomers or short-chain polymers, and a thickening agent to optimize the viscosity of the delivery system and methods of using such compositions for promoting collagen synthesis in the annular region of intervertebral disc.

Methods for developing a decellularized tissue and biomaterials for use as biomimetic grafts or in vitro cellular scaffolds formed with the decellularized tissue are described. The biomaterials are particularly well suited for use as an intervertebral disc graft. The decellularized tissue is formed from an intervertebral disc source tissue and can be substantially decellularized and substantially free of potential immunogenic material (e.g., DNA and RNA), while maintaining ECM materials including both glycosaminoglycan and collagen.