Methods of making and using a magnetic ECM are disclosed. The ECM comprises positively and negatively charged nanoparticles, wherein one of said nanoparticles contains a magnetically responsive element. When the magnetic ECM is seeded with cells, the cells will be magnetized and can be levitated for 3-D cell culture.

Provided herein are biocompatible scaffolds engineered to convey growth stimulatory light to cells and augment their growth on the scaffolds both in vitro and in vivo. Also provide are methods of modifying biocompatible transparent waveguides to control delivery of light from the waveguide material.

The disclosure relates to a spacer using a hydrogel for treatment that aids in growth or bonding of living tissues after surgery or treatment of joints, muscles, or ligaments. The spacer includes a support sheet formed of a biodegradable hydrogel material having a water-soluble polymer network structure, and a pouch formed of a biodegradable material, as a sealing bag-shaped member surrounding the support sheet, and the support sheet is formed to dissolve in a body fluid faster than the pouch. Therefore, the spacer and a method of manufacturing the spacer according to the disclosure may eliminate cost and stress because there is no need for a subsequent removal operation, while stabilizing a surgical site and reducing pain, and particularly, adjust a drug delivery rate adaptively according to different recovery rates or tissue regeneration rates for different ages of patients.

Methods and compositions are disclosed for repair of shoulder injuries by employing disaggregated muscle fiber fragments to regenerate functional shoulder muscle tissue. In some embodiments, the fragments retain functional satellite cells but exhibit cell wall rupture and have an average size of less than 150 μm. The methods include the preparation and implantation of compositions by extracting muscle tissue from a donor site, disaggregating muscle fibers from the extracted tissue, and fragmenting disaggregated muscle fibers into fiber fragments that exhibit cell wall rupture and preferably have an average size of less than 150 microns, more preferable less than about 100 microns, while retaining functional satellite cells. Upon injection, e.g., into the supraspinatus or other rotator cuff muscles, the muscle fiber fragment compositions are capable of reconstituting or reconstructing elongated muscle fibers from the fragments and orienting in alignment with native shoulder muscle fibers.

A suture for lifting is disclosed. The suture comprises: a medical fiber yarn; fixing parts formed at one side of the fiber yarn and fixable to the skin; and anchor parts protruding on an outer circumference of the fixing parts, wherein the anchor parts are integrally formed with the fiber yarn by a double injection.

The present invention refers to a method for the synthesis of a biodegradable calcium release material that shows controlled ion release properties for tissue engineering, biomaterials containing the calcium particles as well as the calcium particles obtainable therefrom. By varying the treatment temperature of the described method, the calcium material shows different calcium release profiles. Contrary to a specific chemical composition such as CaCO.sub.3 which is associated to a specific calcium release profile, the present invention allows a manifold of compositions, with a manifold of calcium release profiles, all starting from a single specific chemical composition calcium precursor. Therefore, the invention also relates to the use of the controllable release, calcium material in tissue regeneration such as wound healing processes.

Provided herein are compositions and methods for treating a subject with damaged tissue, such as an injury associated with a tissue to tissue (e.g., a connective tissue-to-connective tissue or tissue to bone) interface. One aspect provides an adhesive film or adhesive layer, optionally comprising a biomaterial, tissue growth factors, including CTGF/CCN2, or cells.

Compositions and methods for glass composites suitable for tissue augmentation, biomedical, and cosmetic applications are provided. The glass microsphere component of the composites are biologically inert, non-reactive and act as a nearly permanent tissue filler. One embodiment provides a tissue augmentation composite containing an effective amount of solid glass microspheres, hollow glass microspheres, porous wall hollow glass microspheres, or combinations thereof with a suitable biocompatible matrix to serve as a bulking agent when injected into a patient. The compositions can be used for soft or hard tissue augmentation as well as delivery of cargos on demand.

Compositions of the invention for regenerating defective or absent myocardium comprise an emulsified or injectable extracellular matrix composition. The composition may also include an extracellular matrix scaffold component of any formulation, and further include added cells, proteins, or other components to optimize the regenerative process and restore cardiac function.

A composition comprising Polyhydroxyurethanes, Glycosaminoglycans, hydrolysed glycosaminoglycans, glycosamines of glycosaminoglycans, chemically modified or not and a Protein or a peptide; said protein being collagen, elastin, keratin, fibronectin, actin, myosin, laminin, a peptide or a blend of those proteins or peptides, fibrillated, hydrolysed, chemically modified or not. This homogenous composition is obtained by the polymerisation or the covalent bounding of two preparations containing cyclic polycarbonates, polyamines, glycosaminoglycans, hydrolysed glycosaminoglycans, glycosamines, chemically modified or not and proteins or peptides or a blend of those proteins or peptides, fibrillated, hydrolysed, chemically modified or not.