To provide means for efficient growth of epithelial cells capable of being used to manufacture regenerated hair follicle germs. Provided are a culture medium for growth of epithelial cells capable of being used to manufacture regenerated hair follicle germs, the culture medium comprising basal medium and at least (1) through (3), below: and a method for growing the epithelial cells using the culture medium: (1) at least one species of BMP inhibitor: (2) at least one species of fibroblast growth factor: and (3) at least one species of sonic hedgehog (SHH) and/or SHH agonist.

The present technology relates to a method of augmenting soft facial tissue in a human subject using a liquid suspension including amnion allograft. Analysis of the changes to midface volume, specifically the Ogee curve, observed in the chronological progression of photographs illustrates aesthetic improvements in both Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and amnion allograft treatment groups, with changes in the facial grading scale. Less patient downtime and slightly more rapid improvements were noted in the amnion group in comparison to PRP treatment participants. As a result, the amnion allograft provides advantages over the PRP procedure.

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.

A cutting device is provided having multiple evenly-spaced cutting blades and which is useful for producing tissue forms comprising membranous tissue fragments which are relatively uniformly sized and shaped. The present invention also relates to methods for using the cutter device to quickly and efficiently produce such tissue forms which are useful as grafts and can be flowable and easily passable through a luer-slip tip syringe or needle.

A method of manufacturing a retinal graft. The method includes: (a) preparing a scaffold material solution; (b) air-drying the scaffold material solution, to form a thin scaffold layer; (c) crosslinking the thin scaffold layer; (d) rehydrating the scaffold layer; and (e) applying retinal pigment epithelium cells onto the scaffold layer.

Methods of treating a complex wound by administering to a complex wound in the individual a therapeutically effective amount of a fetal support tissue product to treat the complex wound. Methods of treating a complex lower extremity ulcer by administering to a complex lower extremity ulcer in the individual a therapeutically effective amount of a fetal support tissue product to treat the complex lower extremity ulcer. Methods of reducing or preventing scar formation from granulation tissue by administering a fetal support tissue product to granulation tissue. Methods of repairing a spina bifida defect by administering to the defect in the individual a therapeutically effective amount of an umbilical cord product.

The present invention relates to implantable hair which is characterized in that it is coated at least in an implantable section with a composition that comes into direct or indirect contact with the hair and contains at least one silk protein. The present invention is further concerned with methods of producing such an implantable hair and the cosmetic use thereof.

The invention relates to methods for the treatment or alleviation of an anterior corneal disorder in a subject in need thereof comprising removing corneal epithelial cells from an eye of said subject without removing any corneal tissue or other ocular tissue located posterior to the corneal epithelial cell layer; and positioning an overlay comprising a Bowman layer (BL), Descemet membrane (DM) and/or crystalline lens capsule on the anterior surface of said corneal tissue located posterior to the corneal epithelial cell layer. The invention further relates to freeze-dried and/or gamma irradiated Bowman layer, Descemet membrane and/or crystalline lens capsule and compositions comprising the same that are useful in such methods.

The present invention relates to a bellows framework having a concave-convex structure on at least one of outer and inner sides using three-dimensional printing technology and a method of producing thereof, and an artificial tracheal replacement comprising an epithelium part formed on the inner side of the bellows framework and an annular cartilage part formed along the circumference of concave-convex grooves on the outer side and a method of producing thereof.

Modifying corneal shape involves implantation of a segment of tissue in the corneal stroma, where the properties of the tissue segment and its anatomical placement provide a change in corneal topography. In particular, such methods and materials can be used for correction of defects in corneal shape, such as corneal ectasias.