Various embodiments disclosed relate to drug-coated balloon catheters for treating strictures in body lumens and methods of using the same. A drug-coated balloon catheter for delivering a therapeutic agent to a target site of a body lumen stricture includes an elongated balloon having a main diameter. The balloon catheter includes a coating layer overlying an exterior surface of the balloon. The coating layer includes one or more water-soluble additives and an initial drug load of a therapeutic agent.

The present invention provides a tissue scaffold mold apparatus and methods for use of the mold apparatus to simply, rapidly and easily form molded tissue scaffolds from fibrous proteins such as collagen, and with other matrix components having complex 3-dimensional designs that can be seeded with stem cells for creating biologically and mechanically functional tissues/grafts. The inventive methods and apparatus allows for tissue engineering of hollow or concave and tubular organs and tissues, and will have immediate impact in a wide range of biomedical areas from tissue engineering, regeneration and reconstructive surgery.

Disclosed herein are methods involving the targeting of 5HT biosynthesis in gut insulin-negative cells to convert them into insulin-positive cells. Also disclosed are methods for treating a disease or disorder in a mammal, preferably a human, associated with impaired pancreatic endocrine function, by administering a therapeutically effective amount of an enumerated active agent that reduces the expression, biosynthesis, signaling or biological activity of serotonin or increases its degradation, wherein administering comprises delivering the agent to Gut Ins cells in the mammal. Other embodiments of the method are directed to therapy wherein an agent that significantly reduces FOXO1 expression, biosynthesis, signaling or biological activity or increases its degradation is administered in addition to the agent that reduces serotonin, or alternatively an agent that reduces FOXO1 expression is targeted to serotonin-positive gut enteroendocrine cells.

Provided herein are inks including decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) particles and scaffolds made from the inks. Also provided are methods of making the scaffolds and applications for the scaffolds. In an embodiment, a porous scaffold comprises dECM particles and an elastomer, wherein the scaffold is planar having a thickness of about 100 m or greater, the scaffold comprises irregularly shaped pores having a random orientation and distribution throughout the scaffold, and the scaffold is free of crosslinking between the molecular components of the scaffold.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cell structure which does not contain glutaraldehyde and can form blood vessels after transplantation, and a method for producing the above-described cell structure. According to the present invention, there is provided a cell structure which contains a biocompatible macromolecular block and at least one kind of cell and has voids and in which a plurality of the biocompatible macromolecular blocks are arranged in gaps between a plurality of the cells, in which a ratio of the volume of the biocompatible macromolecular blocks with respect to the volume of the cell structure is 10% to 30%, a ratio of the volume of the cells with respect to the volume of the cell structure is 20% to 50%, and a ratio of the volume of the voids with respect to the volume of the cell structure is 35% to 60%.

Disclosed are compositions and methods of making basement membrane constructs having interior or luminal volumes. The interior or luminal volumes may be in the form of vascular networks for liquid (e.g., blood) or gas perfusion. The interior spaces may also contain cells, such as epithelial cells. Also disclosed are tissues and organs, and methods of making thereof, comprising basement membrane constructs.

A device for treating a damaged tissue includes an expandable scaffold positionable in a portion of a luminal tissue structure of a mammal; and maintained via stent technology, wherein the scaffold is comprised of electrospun fibers composed of a biodegradable compound. The scaffold serves as a temporary template that allows the tissue to be rebuilt.

Aspects of the disclosure relate methods and synthetic scaffolds for regenerating gastrointestinal tissue (e.g., esophageal tissue).

An orthotopic artificial bladder endoprosthesis includes a casing made of a PGA fiber fabric; the casing having two first connectors for the connection with the ureters of a patient and a further connector for the connection with the urethra of a patient; an inflatable element inserted in the casing; the inflatable element being switchable between an inflated configuration, in which it supports and maintains in position the casing, and a deflated configuration.

Disclosed are devices, methods and surgical procedures for detecting, imaging, analyzing, diagnosing and/or treating vascular disorders and related conditions of the human and mammalian body in males and/or females. In particular embodiments, treatments include methods for imaging, analyzing and improving erectile dysfunction and related conditions and potentially increasing angiogenesis in response to specifically diagnosed conditions.