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 invention discloses micron-nano pore gradient oxide ceramic films with biological activity, which are prepared by the following methods: The surface structures are biomedical engineering materials; Inorganic precursor coating solutions or the organic precursor coating solutions are prepared with or without micron and nanopore additives; The surface structures of the substrate are treated in the following steps: (1) The surfaces of the substrate are coated by the inorganic precursor coating solutions or the organic precursor coating solutions with or without micron and nanopore additives; (2) The substrate with coatings are dried, sintered, naturally cooled, and cleaned. (3) The biomedical engineering materials with the micron-nanopore gradient oxide ceramic films, especially biomimetic micro-nanoporous gradient alumina film, yttrium partially stabilized zirconia film, and alumina doped yttrium partially stabilized zirconia films in this invention greatly improve biocompatibility and biological activity.

A porous material suitable for implant is disclosed comprising a large plurality of substantially spherical intercalated hollows in a polymer. The hollows are formed by combining the polymer with a fugitive material under heat and pressure and subsequently removing the fugitive material to reveal the hollows. Intercalation can be increased by subjecting the fugitive material to a coalescing compacting process prior to combining the fugitive material with the polymer. The porous material can be combined with a solid material such as a solid polymer to fabricate complex implantable materials with a variety of features.

The invention provides polymer scaffolds for cell-based tissue engineering.

The present disclosure relates to a three-dimensionally (3D) printed tissue engineering scaffold for tissue regeneration and a method for manufacturing the 3D printed tissue engineering scaffold. The 3D printed tissue engineering scaffold may be fabricated at least in part from a composite material having an insoluble component and soluble component. The three-dimensional tissue scaffolds of the disclosure may be fabricated via a rapid prototyping machine. In some instances, the three-dimensional shape of the fabricated tissue engineering scaffold may correspond to a three-dimensional shape of a tissue defect of a patient.

This bone substitute includes a calcium phosphate-type porous ceramic body having spherical voids; and a bioactive glass layer that is formed of a bioactive glass, coats an inner surface of each of the voids and has a thickness of less than 50 m. The porous body has communication holes through which the voids communicate with each other.

Disposable temporary spacer device for an articulation of the human body or for a bone cavity, wherein the spacer device includes at least one first component adapted to be constrained to a bone portion or end, wherein the spacer device is made from a biologically compatible material and comprises interconnected pores distributed in the entire volume occupied by the spacer device, in which the interconnected pores have a size and occupy a percentage of the volume of the spacer device such that it is able to absorb and consequently elute one or more pharmaceutical or medical substances in liquid or fluid form or in paste, cream, gel, wax, or viscous form.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods for making resorbable ear tubes including the steps of providing a silk fibroin solution, and forming a silk ear tube from the silk fibroin solution, wherein the silk ear tube is less than 2 mm in length and has an outer diameter of less than 1.5 mm, and wherein the silk ear tube is resorbable. In some embodiments, the present invention also provides methods for treating otitis media including the step of introducing a silk ear tube into the ear canal of a subject, wherein the silk ear tube is less than 2 mm in length and has an outer diameter of less than 1.5 mm, and wherein the silk ear tube is resorbed by the subject.

A polymeric scaffold contains pendant liquid crystal side chains and has fully interconnected pores. Such a polymeric scaffold will preferably be 3D in nature and elastomeric, biocompatible and biodegradable. Such 3D liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) scaffolds can be used for various biomedical applications, including cell culture applications. A method for the production of such a polymeric scaffold containing liquid crystals and having interconnected pores is also disclosed that uses a metal foam sacrificial template as a scaffold to produce the polymeric smart response scaffold of the present invention. Consistent and controlled pore sizes result from etching the sacrificial metal foam template away from the polymeric scaffold, permitting the incorporation of growth factors, when needed, for enhancing cell viability and proliferation.

A method and device for fabricating vascular networks in for tissue engineering. The vascular network is embedded in a porous scaffold and is created from a sacrificial wax template, according to one embodiment. A extrusion-based three dimensional printer is used to create the template, wherein the printer utilizes an extruder incorporating a mixer to maintain the consistency of the extrudate.