In accordance with the purpose(s) of the present disclosure, as embodied and broadly described herein, the disclosure, in one aspect, relates to gel-phase inks suitable for extrusion-based 3D printing and methods of making the same, as well as anisotropic hydrogels printed from the same. In another aspect, the disclosure relates to linear contractile elements constructed from the anisotropic hydrogels and 3D structures with programmed morphologies and motions comprising the linear contractile elements. In still another aspect, the disclosure relates to a process for preparing soft materials and a method to create 3D structures starting from the gel-phase inks disclosed herein. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

Various systems and process for fabricating customized medical devices via the freeform reversible embedding of suspended hydrogels process are disclosed. The mechanical properties of the fabricated objects can be controlled according to the manner or orientation in which the structure material is deposited into the support material and the three-dimensional movement of the extruder assembly. Further, the dimensions of the fabricated objects can be validated by adding a contrast agent to the structure material, obtaining a three-dimensional reconstruction of the fabricated object, and then comparing the three-dimensional reconstruction to the computer model upon which the fabricated object is based. These and other techniques are described herein.

A method for making a biocompatible implantable areal device that is formed by a plurality of thread sections that are separated by a plurality of spaces that define a linear distance. The method includes the steps of configuring a range of the linear distance length and selecting thread sections with maximal diameter that maintain a ratio such that for maximal diameter of 200 nanometers linear distance of 5 microns, maximal 1 micron distance of 5 to 40 microns, maximal 10 microns distance of 40 to 200, maximal 40 microns distance of 200 microns to 1 millimeter, maximal 120 microns distance of 1 to 2 millimeters, maximal 400 microns distance of 2 to 5 millimeters, maximal 1.4 millimeters distance of 5 to 10, maximal 2.5 millimeters distance of 10 to 20, maximal 5 millimeters distance of 20 to 40, and maximal 10 millimeters distance greater than 40 millimeters.

Provided herein are methods of fractionating extracellular matrix (ECM) materials, producing soluble and structural fractions having different immunological activities. Also provided are compositions and devices comprising the fractions. A method of immune modulation also is provided in which an amount of a soluble or structural ECM fraction prepared according to the methods provided herein is administered to a patient in an amount effective to modulate immune function, for example macrophage function.

The invention relates to an elongate scaffold comprising: an inner portion comprising a polymer; and an outer portion comprising a porous, nonwoven network of polymer fibers, wherein the packing density of the inner portion is greater than the packing density of the outer portion; wherein the inner portion (a) comprises a plurality of polymer fibers twisted around one another or (b) is a solid core comprising the polymer. The invention also relates to a scaffold precursor and a process for producing a scaffold, comprising twisting a scaffold precursor of the invention along its length. Further provided is a hybrid composition comprising the scaffold and cells and/or an active agent such as a drug, a nucleic acid, a nucleotide, a protein, a polypeptide, or an exosome. Therapeutic methods and uses of such hybrid compositions are also provided, for instance in tissue repair, wound healing, and in the treatment of a cardiac, bone, cartilage, tendon, ligament, liver, kidney joint, spleen, eye, spinal disc, connective tissue, or lung injury or disease or cancer, or an infection in a patient, and as tissue fillers for reconstructive or cosmetic applications.

A multicompartment conductive collagen scaffold composite, comprising a scaffold comprising collagen and an electrically conductive material, optionally wherein the electrically conductive material comprises electrically conductive particles, and further comprising longitudinally aligned pores, and methods of making and using the same.

Provided herein is a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) product comprising activated PRP releasate in which a deleterious factor that inhibits growth of a target tissue type is removed. The PRP product is useful in growth or regeneration of tissue of the target tissue type, such as muscle, cartilage, or bone. Also provided herein is a method of making a tissue-customized PRP product for growth or repair of a target tissue, such as muscle, cartilage, or bone, comprising removing a deleterious factor for the growth of the target tissue from activated PRP releasate.

The present provides a biomaterial for repairing biological tissues, the biomaterial comprising: a water-soluble polymer having a reactive functional group A; and a cell having tissue-regenerating capacity and having, on the surface thereof, a reactive functional group B that can covalently bind to the reactive functional group A, wherein the biomaterial presents a hydrogel state when the reactive functional group A covalently binds to the reactive functional group B. Thus, the present invention can provide a biomaterial for repairing biological tissues that can exert excellent effect in repairing biological tissues by utilizing a hydrogel encapsulating cells having tissue-regenerating capacity.

A tendon repair implant for treatment of a partial thickness tear in the supraspinatus tendon of the shoulder is provided. The implant may incorporate features of rapid deployment and fixation by an arthroscopic approach that compliment current procedures; tensile properties that result in desired sharing of anatomical load between the implant and native tendon during rehabilitation; selected porosity and longitudinal pathways for tissue in-growth; sufficient cyclic straining of the implant in the longitudinal direction to promote remodeling of new tissue to tendon-like tissue; and, may include a bioresorbable construction to provide transfer of additional load to new tendon-like tissue and native tendon over time.

Disclosed herein are muscle implants and methods of making muscle implants comprising one or more decellularized muscle matrices. The muscle matrices can, optionally, be joined to one or more decellularized dermal matrices. The muscle implants can be used to enhance muscle volume or to treat muscle damage, defects, and/or disorders. The decellularized muscle matrices in the implants retain at least some of the myofibers found in a muscle tissue prior to processing.