The present invention is directed to a method of preparing an artificial tooth primordium in vitro, comprising the steps: a) providing isolated mesenchymal dental pulp cells; and b) culturing the mesenchymal dental pulp cells under non-adherent conditions to form a cell aggregate representing an artificial tooth primordium; as well as to an artificial tooth primordium derived therefrom.

An alloprosthetic composite implant comprising includes a structural porous scaffold having a pore density profile corresponding to a density profile of bone to be replaced. A plurality of cells are seeded within pores of the porous scaffold and grown by incubation. The cells may include osteoblasts and/or stem cells to form the structure of the implant, and one or more cartilage layers may be grown on top of the scaffold. The pore density profile of the scaffold may be formed based on one or both of the bone density profile of the bone to be removed, and the bone density profile of the native bone that will be in contact with the alloprosthetic implant. A robot may be employed reo resect the native bone and also to shape the alloprosthetic implant to fit into place in the native bone.

The invention relates to compositions useful for bone repair and methods of preparing the same. The invention is particularly suitable for bone repair of large bone defects. In an aspect of the invention, the compositions comprise a biocompatible polymer and a clay that form a scaffold. In a further aspect of the invention, the multiple scaffolds can be configured together to form scaffold blocks.

Provided herein are scaffold biomaterials including a decellularized plant or fungal tissue from which cellular materials and nucleic acids of the tissue are removed, the decellularized plant or fungal tissue having a 3-dimensional porous structure; wherein the decellularized plant or fungal tissue may optionally be at least partially coated or mineralized, wherein the scaffold biomaterial may optionally further include a protein-based hydrogel and/or a polysaccharide-based hydrogel, or both. Also provided herein are methods and uses of such scaffold biomaterials, including methods of manufacture as well as methods and uses for bone tissue engineering, for example.

The present invention provides a limb bud mesenchymal cell population, which is derived from mammalian lateral plate mesoderm cells, and is PRRX1 protein-positive.

Collagen compositions, methods for preparing those collagen compositions, and 3D constructs formed from those collagen compositions are provided. In particular, methods of isolating collagen that exhibits an enhanced rate of gelling, such collagen compositions, and 3D constructs formed from such collagen compositions are provided.

The present invention provides a method of bone regeneration for repairing a bone defect in a subject in need thereof. The method comprises the use of blood aspirate of the mandible bone marrow with the use of xenogen bone support.

A viable disc regenerative composition has a micronized material of nucleus pulposus and a biological composition made from a mixture of mechanically selected allogeneic biologic material derived from bone marrow having non-whole cellular components including vesicular components and active and inactive components of biological activity, cell fragments, cellular excretions, cellular derivatives, and extracellular components; and wherein the mixture is compatible with biologic function and further includes non-expanded whole cells. The biological composition is predisposed to demonstrate or support elaboration of active volume or spatial geometry consistent in morphology with that of disc tissue. The viable disc regenerative composition extends regenerative resonance that compliments or mimics disc tissue complexity.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides tissue grafts, such as vascularized bone grafts, and methods for preparing and using such tissue grafts. In some embodiments the tissue grafts are made using pluripotent stem cells, such as autologous pluripotent stem cells. In some embodiments, the tissue grafts are made by creating a digital model of a tissue portion to be replaced or repaired, such as a bone defect, partitioning the model into two or more model segments, and then producing tissue graft segments having a size and shape corresponding to that of the model segments. Such tissue graft segments may be assembled to form a tissue graft having a size and shape corresponding to that of the tissue portion to be replaced or repaired.

A method for instant lumbar spine fusion between two vertebrae in a patient includes establishing under X-ray fluoroscopy the location of the transpedicular notch of the next lower vertebra in caudal direction, making a percutaneous incision to the transpedicular notch, inserting a cannulated guide, drilling a transpedicular approach from the pedicle of the lower vertebra to the anterior part of the vertebral body of the vertebrae above the disc to be treated, inserting a working cannula through the previously drilled approach reaching the intervertebral disk, cleaning and scrapping the intervertebral disk space, inserting transpedicularly at least one intervertebral stabilizing screw, and acting on both intervertebral screws with screwdrivers in order to distract or contract both screws allowing to adjust or correct the intervertebral distance of the disk. The method can be performed on an outpatient basis.