Engineered human tissue seed constructs are provided that are suitable for implantation in subjects. Methods of making and using the engineered tissue seed constructs are provided.

Compositions and methods of transplanting cells by grafting strategies into solid organs (especially internal organs) are provided. These methods and compositions can be used to repair diseased organs or to establish models of disease states in experimental hosts. The method involves attachment onto the surface of a tissue or organ, a patch graft, a “bandaid-like” covering, containing epithelial cells with supporting early lineage stage mesenchymal cells. The cells are incorporated into soft gel-forming biomaterials prepared under serum-free, defined conditions comprised of nutrients, lipids, vitamins, and regulatory signals that collectively support stemness of the donor cells. The graft is covered with a biodegradable, biocompatible, bioresorbable backing used to affix the graft to the target site. The cells in the graft migrate into and throughout the tissue such that within a couple of weeks they are uniformly dispersed within the recipient (host) tissue. The mechanisms by which engraftment and integration of donor cells into the organ or tissue involve multiple membrane-associated and secreted forms of MMPs.

A cell or tissue embedding device having an aqueous gel serving as an immunoisolation layer, the aqueous gel containing, as components thereof, a denatured polyvinyl alcohol resin having an activated carbonyl group and a crosslinking agent is highly capable of supplying a physiologically active substance.

The present invention provides for a liver tissue model construct composed of biomaterials and cells, to be used for scientific research within in the 3D liver tissue modelling field. The applications of said tissue model construct can be specific for pharmaceutical evaluations and/or discoveries, regenerative medicine investigations, tissue engineering developments, and liver physiology and/or pathology.

The present invention provides a means for reconstituting tissues and organs having mature functions. A method of preparing a tissue or an organ, comprising coculturing an organ cell with a vascular endothelial cell and a mesenchymal cell, generating an organ bud, transplanting the organ bud into a non-human animal, and then isolating from the non-human animal the transplanted organ bud-derived tissue or organ.

The present disclosure provides patterned biomaterials having organized cords and extracellular matrix embedded in a 3D scaffold. According, the present disclosure provides compositions and applications for patterned biomaterials. Pre-patterning of these biomaterials can lead to enhanced integration of these materials into host organisms, providing a strategy for enhancing the viability of engineered tissues by promoting vascularization.

The present application relates to biomimetic three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds, constructs and methods of making the same. The three-dimensional scaffold can include a sacrificial internal cast and a durable external scaffold material, wherein the durable external scaffold material comprises a biocompatible material which completely surrounds the sacrificial internal cast and wherein the sacrificial internal cast be removed to yield a branching 3D network of hollow, vessel-like tubes that substantially mimics a native tissue or organ.

In accordance with the method of the present invention, 3D tissue-derived scaffolding materials are made in various formats, including but not limited to hydrogel, sponge, fibers, microspheres, and films, all of which function to better preserve natural extracellular matrix molecules and to mimic the natural tissue environment, thereby effectively guiding tissue regeneration. The method involves incorporating a homogenized tissue-derived suspension into a polymeric solution of synthetic, natural, or hybrid polymers to prepare tissue-derived scaffolds in the aforementioned formats. Such tissue-derived scaffolds and scaffolding materials have a variety of utilities, including: the creation of 3D tissue models such as skin, bone, liver, pancreas, lung, and so on; facilitation of studies on cell-matrix interactions; and the fabrication of implantable scaffolding materials for guided tissue formation in vivo. The tissue-derived scaffolds and scaffolding materials made in accordance with the present invention also provide the opportunity to correlate the functions of extracellular matrix with tissue regeneration and cancer metastasis, for example.

Described are methods, cell growth substrates, and devices that are useful in preparing cell-containing graft materials for administration to patients. Tubular passages can be defined in cell growth substrates to promote distribution of cells into the substrates. Also described are methods and devices for preparing cell-seeded graft compositions, methods and devices for preconditioning cell growth substrates prior to application of cells, and cell seeded grafts having novel substrates, and uses thereof.

Provided is a method for producing highly functional artificial organs, including blood vessels capable of carrying perfusate, by using aptamers. The aptamers, according to the presently claimed subject matter, enhance blood vessel adhesion ability, viability, angiogenesis potential, and the like when used as a coating agent of a decellularized scaffold, and thus can more efficiently reconstruct vasculature than existing antibodies. Therefore, a vascularized artificial liver produced using the aptamers exhibits the effects of reducing thrombogenesis in vivo as well as enhancing liver function, and thus is expected to be applied as a method for treating diseases by using artificial organs produced using the aptamers according to the presently claimed subject matter.