Provided herein is a three-dimensional co-culture of adipocytes and macrophages, wherein, in a hydrogel scaffold containing adipocytes and macrophages, the adipocytes and the macrophages are co-cultured to form a fat-like tissue, which can be then utilized in the studies and medicine development for treating metastatic diseases associated with adipose tissue.

Methods and compositions for the biological repair of cartilage using a hybrid construct combining both an inert structure and living core are described. The inert structure is intended to act not only as a delivery system to feed and grow a living core component, but also as an inducer of cell differentiation. The inert structure comprises concentric internal and external and inflatable/expandable balloon-like bio-polymers. The living core comprises the cell-matrix construct comprised of HDFs, for example, seeded in a scaffold. The method comprises surgically removing a damaged cartilage from a patient and inserting the hybrid construct into the cavity generated after the foregoing surgical intervention. The balloons of the inert structure are successively inflated within the target area, such as a joint, for example. Also disclosed herein are methods for growing and differentiating human fibroblasts into chondrocyte-like cells via mechanical strain.

A biomimetic microtube and a preparation method thereof are provided. A coaxial pipe is used to form a biomimetic microtube having a core solution and a wall surrounding the core solution. In the preparation method, some various processing methods can be used to increase the roughness, porosity, and hardness of the wall of the biomimetic microtube.

A composition includes a plurality of coacervate micro and/or nanodroplets of oxidized alginate and a methacrylated gelatin.

A composition containing biocompatible hydrogel encapsulating mammalian cells and anti-inflammatory drugs is disclosed. The encapsulated cells have reduced fibrotic overgrowth after implantation in a subject. The compositions contain a biocompatible hydrogel having encapsulated therein mammalian cells and anti-inflammatory drugs or polymeric particles loaded with anti-inflammatory drugs. The anti-inflammatory drugs are released from the composition after transplantation in an amount effective to inhibit fibrosis of the composition for at least ten days. Methods for identifying and selecting suitable anti-inflammatory drug-loaded particles to prevent fibrosis of encapsulated cells are also described. Methods of treating a disease in a subject are also disclosed that involve administering a therapeutically effective amount of the disclosed encapsulated cells to the subject.

The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for the delivery of immune cells to treat un-resectable or non-resected tumor cells and tumor relapse. The compositions comprise (i) a structure comprising an injectable polymer or scaffold comprising pores; (ii) lymphocytes disposed within the structure, (iii) at least one lymphocyte-adhesion moiety associated with the structure; and (iv) at least one lymphocyte-activating moiety associated with the structure, and optionally an immune stimulant.

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional (3D) tissue-like implant for transplanting to a subject in need comprising a cell cluster comprising mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and specific cells differentiated therefrom. The present invention also relate to a method of preparing a 3D-tissue-like implant from MSCs, particularly by seeding MSCs in alginate scaffolds and culturing the alginate scaffolds with MSCs in a 3-D perfusion condition. Further, the present invention provides a method for treating a defect in a recipient patient in need by administering a 3D tissue-like implant as described herein to the patient at a defective site e.g. a bone defective site.

The present invention relates generally to a three-dimensional cell and tissue culture system for the female reproductive tract. In particular provided herein the system includes individual female reproductive cultures in a dynamic microfluidic setting or integrated using a microfluidic microphysiologic system. In some embodiments, the present invention provides ex-vivo female reproductive tract integration in a three dimensional (3D) microphysiologic system.

A microfabricated platform for mimicking the liver zonation and an evaluating method of zone-specific hepatotoxicity using the same is provided. The microfabricated platform for mimicking the liver zonation prepared according to the method of the present invention is divided into three zones of zone 1, zone 2 and zone 3 similarly to in vivo liver tissue and thus the zone-specific hepatotoxicity of a drug in the liver can be evaluated using the same. According to the present invention, the zone-specific hepatotoxicity results can be analyzed quantitatively by using image analysis, so that the platform of the present invention can be effectively used for in vitro screening of zone-specific hepatotoxicity.

This application discloses alginate microencapsulation-mediated differentiation of embryonic stem cells and use of the stem cell differentiation method for the development of effective treatment of various diseases and disorders. The microencapsulation of embryonic stem (ES) cells results in decreased cell aggregation and enhanced neural lineage differentiation through incorporating the soluble inducer retinoic acid (RA) into the permeable microcapsule system. This differentiation process can be augmented by differentiation pathway regulators such as PPAR agonists.