A method of producing a 3D tissue composite, comprising: a preparation step in which a multiple number of sheet-shaped first structures containing first cells are prepared, wherein at least one of the multiple number of first structures holds a second structure containing second cells; a stacking step in which the multiple number of first structures are stacked to form a 3D composite; and a culturing step in which the 3D composite is cultured to form a 3D tissue composite containing first tissues formed from the first cells and second tissues formed from the second cells.

Structures and methods for tissue engineering include a multicellular body including a plurality of living cells. A plurality of multicellular bodies can be arranged in a pattern and allowed to fuse to form an engineered tissue. The arrangement can include filler bodies including a biocompatible material that resists migration and ingrowth of cells from the multicellular bodies and that is resistant to adherence of cells to it. Three-dimensional constructs can be assembled by printing or otherwise stacking the multicellular bodies and filler bodies such that there is direct contact between adjoining multicellular bodies, suitably along a contact area that has a substantial length. The direct contact between the multicellular bodies promotes efficient and reliable fusion. The increased contact area between adjoining multicellular bodies also promotes efficient and reliable fusion. Methods of producing multicellular bodies having characteristics that facilitate assembly of the three-dimensional constructs are also provided.

The present invention provides a method for swiftly producing a layered cell sheet that is non-invasively obtained and is utilizable for transplantation, etc., the method including (1) a step of applying a centrifugal force to a first cell sheet on a temperature-responsive culture surface for a predetermined time in a temperature range from a lower critical solution temperature of the temperature-responsive culture surface to 45° C., (2) a step of further placing a second cell sheet on the first cell sheet, and (3) a step of applying a centrifugal force to the first cell sheet and the second cell sheet on the temperature-responsive culture surface for a predetermined time in the temperature range from the lower critical solution temperature to 45° C.; and also provides a layered cell sheet obtained by the method.

The method of culturing cells disclosed herein includes printing cells onto a substrate that includes cell adhesive regions and cell repulsive regions. The cells are suspended in a printing medium to create a cell suspension, and a volume of the cell suspension is loaded into a printer. A cell adhesive region of the substrate is aligned beneath the printing channel of the printer, and droplets of the cell suspension are dispensed from the printing channel directly onto the cell adhesive region. Contact of the dispensed droplets with cell repulsive regions of the substrate is limited, either by targeting of the droplets to the cell adhesive regions, by repulsions generated by the cell repulsive areas, or both. The cells adhere to the cell adhesive regions to create a cell pattern, and are maintained thereafter in a physiologically suitable environment.

The present invention relates to an edible and sterilizable macroporous three-dimensional (3D) tissue engineering scaffolds comprising a network of cross-linked biocompatible polymer, preferably a natural polymer. Moreover, the scaffold of the invention further comprises additives and living cells which adhere and proliferate, colonizing the entire surface of the scaffold and giving rise to a raw material for the later formation of tissue with high nutritive content and/or cultured meat, that may be subsequently processed into food for animal or human consumption without requiring modification or removal of the cells form the scaffold. Method of using the scaffolds to make cultured meat and/or tissues for being processed as food comprising the scaffold, are also described herein.

The present invention relates to a method for the large-scale synthesis of an edible and hot steam sterilizable macroporous three-dimensional (3D) scaffold which comprises biocompatible polymers with interconnected pores as a support material for adherent cell growth, proliferation and differentiation, which may be used to obtain tissue with nutritive content and/or cultured meat. These scaffolds are suitable for supporting cell tissue growth for biomedical or food applications.

The present invention relates to a process for producing a composition comprising an aqueous medium and, disposed in the aqueous medium, a first volume of a first hydrogel, which process comprises: (i) providing a composition comprising a first hydrophobic medium and, disposed in the first hydrophobic medium, a first volume of a first hydrogel; (ii) disposing a volume of an aqueous composition comprising a hydrogel compound around the first volume of the first hydrogel; (iii) allowing the aqueous composition comprising the hydrogel compound to form a gel and thereby forming a hydrogel object, which hydrogel object comprises the first volume of the first hydrogel and a second volume of a second hydrogel, which second volume of the second hydrogel is disposed around the first volume of the first hydrogel; and (iv) transferring the hydrogel object from the first hydrophobic medium to an aqueous medium and thereby producing the composition comprising the aqueous medium and, disposed in the aqueous medium, the first volume of the first hydrogel. The invention further provides a hydrogel object, which hydrogel object comprises a first volume of a first hydrogel and a second volume of a second hydrogel, which second volume of the second hydrogel is disposed around the first volume of the first hydrogel.

The present invention provides a culture method capable of maturing an organoid through long-term culture, and suitable for producing a conformational organ. The culture method of the present invention is a method for culturing an organoid and/or cells constituting an organ immobilized in a chamber with a culture fluid perfused, and the culture fluid is perfused in such a manner as to generate a turbulent flow in the chamber.

The microfluidic chip according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a plate, a bridge channel formed in intaglio on one side of the plate, an inlet formed through the plate to communicate with one end of the bridge channel, an outlet formed through the plate to communicate with the other end of the bridge channel, and at least one well extending in an outward direction of the plate from the bridge channel to provide a space, wherein the bridge channel may be in the form of a curved line, a bent line, an arc, a circle, a spiral, or a polygon.

The invention provides a thermosensitive peptide hydrogel, which comprises water, a polyether/polyol polymer and a peptide molecule. The peptide molecule has a structure represented by the following chemical formula (1). Chemical Structure (1): ##STR00001##