Described are compositions and methods for cartilage replacement. Also described are collagen scaffolds comprising the composition described herein.

The present invention refers to a method of manufacturing an implantable construct comprising chondrogenically differentiated cells and one or more polycaprolactone (PCL) microcarriers, an implantable construct produced using said method, and uses of the implantable construct. The present invention also refers to a method of manufacturing an implantable construct comprising mesenchymal stromal cells and one or more polycaprolactone (PCL) microcarriers, an implantable construct produced using said method, and uses of the implantable construct. The present invention further refers to a method of treating a disease or disorder associated with cartilage and/or bone defect, the method comprises administering one or more cell-free polycaprolactone (PCL) microcarriers in a patient suffering from the disease or disorder.

The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition for the lubrication of joints, the pharmaceutical composition comprising a non-ionic tonicity agent comprising a polyol, and liposomes comprising at least one membrane comprising at least one phospholipid (PL) selected from a glycerophospholipid (GPL), said GPL having two C.sub.12-C.sub.18 hydrocarbon chains, being the same or different, and sphingomyelin (SM) having a C.sub.12-C.sub.18 hydrocarbon chain, the pharmaceutical composition being essentially free of an additional pharmaceutically active agent, wherein the at least one membrane has a phase transition temperature in the range of about 20° C. to about 39° C. and the joint has a joint temperature which is above the phase transition temperature.

Artificial cartilage materials for repair and replacement of cartilage (e.g., load-bearing, articular cartilage). The artificial cartilage materials described herein include triple-network hydrogels including a cross-linked fiber network (e.g., a bacterial cellulose nanofiber network) and a double-network hydrogel (e.g., a double-network hydrogel including polfacrylamide-methyl propyl sulfonic acid). The artificial cartilage may be coated onto or formed into an implant (e.g., plug). The artificial cartilage may include a surface macroporosity, e.g., 0.1-300 micrometers diameter. Also described herein are methods of forming and methods of using the triple-network hydrogel artificial cartilage materials.

The application relates to the delivery of immunomodulatory molecules, including cytokines, to the situs of tissue scaffolds, and wounds including injuries.

Provided is a method that achieves tunable crosslinking and reversible phase transition of hydrogels. The method is useful for preparing 3D-printable hydrogel, for example, for wound healing, aneurysm treatment or tissue regeneration.

The present invention resides in a method for producing jellyfish collagen hydrogels and kits for producing the same. The jellyfish collagen hydrogels can be used in the culture of cells. According to the invention, there is a process for producing jellyfish collagen hydrogels comprising jellyfish collagen fibrils, said process comprising the steps of: mixing a solution of purified jellyfish collagen and an aqueous neutralisation buffer; and incubating the mixture for a sufficient time to enable jellyfish collagen fibrils to form, wherein a cross-linking agent is either added during to mixing step or during or after the incubation of the mixture.

The present application is directed to a method of treating osteoarthritis, which includes obtaining a member of a transforming growth factor superfamily of proteins; obtaining a population of cultured mammalian cells that may contain vector encoding a gene, or a population of cultured connective tissue cells that do not contain any vector encoding a gene; and then transferring the protein and the connective tissue cells into an arthritic joint space of a mammalian host, such that the activity of the combination within the joint space results in regenerating connective tissue.

This invention belongs to the technical field of composite materials, and discloses a xylan-based dual network nanocomposite hydrogel, preparation method thereof and use therefor. The method comprises (1) adding graphite oxide powder into deionized water, ultrasonically dispersing to obtain a GO aqueous dispersion; (2) adding xylan into deionized water, heating and stirring to obtain a xylan solution; (3) adding a water-soluble calcium salt, a reaction monomer and the xylan solution into the GO aqueous dispersion, and stirring and dispersing uniformly under an ice-bath condition, then adding an initiator, a crosslinking agent and an accelerator, stirring and mixing uniformly to obtain a mixed solution; and 4) drying and reacting the mixed solution (in the step (3) to obtain a xylan-based dual network nanocomposite hydrogel. The composite hydrogel obtained by this invention has high mechanical property, is biodegradable and biocompatible, and can be used in the field of biomedicine, such as tissue engineering, drug sustained release, cell culture scaffold and cartilage tissue, etc.

This invention provides porated cartilage products and methods of producing porated cartilage products. Optionally, the cartilage products are sized, porated, and digested to provide a flexible cartilage product. Optionally, the cartilage products comprise viable chondrocytes, bioactive factors such as chondrogenic factors, and a collagen type II matrix. Optionally, the cartilage products are non-immunogenic.