The present invention concerns methods and compositions for gene therapy, in particular in vivo gene therapy for delivery of bioactive glial derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) for the treatment of Parkinson's Disease. The invention also concerns mammalian cells capable of producing GDNF in increased amounts as well as the use of these cells for recombinant production of bioactive GDNF and for therapeutic use. The invention also includes a device that may be implanted in the cochlear of a patient that is capable of secreting GDNF.

Provided is a method for freezing a cell aggregate including neural cells. provided is a method for freezing a cell aggregate including neural cells and having a three-dimensional structure, which comprises following steps (1) and (2): (1) contacting a cell aggregate including neural cells and having a three-dimensional structure with a preservation solution at 0° C. to 30° C. prior to freezing to prepare a preservation solution-soaked cell aggregate; and (2) cooling the preservation solution-soaked cell aggregate obtained in step (1) from a temperature at least about 5° C. higher than the freezing point of the preservation solution to a temperature about 5° C. lower than the freezing point at an average cooling speed of 2 to 7° C./min to freeze the cell aggregate.

Provided is a method for freezing a cell aggregate including neural cells. Provided is a method for freezing a cell aggregate including neural cells and having a three-dimensional structure, which comprises following steps (1) and (2): (1) soaking the cell aggregate including neural cells in a cryopreservation solution at 0° C. to 30° C. prior to freezing to prepare a cryopreservation solution-soaked cell aggregate; and (2) freezing the cell aggregate including neural cells in vapor phase of a liquid nitrogen container having a temperature of −150° C. or less.

Disclosed herein are nerve xenografts and methods of using such for repairing and/or protecting a nerve tissue in a human patient. The subject matter disclosed herein generally relates to nerve xenografts derived from genetically engineered source animals, and use of such nerve xenografts for repairing and/protecting nerve tissue in a human patient, e.g., for reconstruction of large peripheral nerve gaps, treatment of spinal cord injuries and ailments, and other therapies.

In various aspects and embodiments, the present invention provides methods for maintaining motor neuron health in the spinal cord and pro-regenerative capacity of a proximal nerve segment subsequent to a nerve injury in a subject in need thereof, the methods comprising transplanting a stretch-grown tissue engineered nerve graft (TENG) into a proximal site contacting the proximal nerve segment.

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 relates to a method for preparing of a nerve conduit using bio-printing technology and a nerve conduit prepared by the same, and it can easily prepare a nerve conduit by simulating a nerve bundle and nerve tissue, and the like, by three-dimensionally printing bio-ink comprising a neuronal regeneration material on one side of a porous polymer scaffold.

The disclosure provides a biological brain-computer interface comprising genetically modified cells engrafted onto an adult mammal (e.g., mouse) above cortical layer 1, forming an artificial cortical layer termed layer zero (L0). Following engraftment, L0 goes through a developmental process characterized by synchronous waves of activity that gradually recede to resemble spontaneous cortical activity. Axons and dendrites from L0 nondestructively infiltrated the host cortex and formed synaptic connections necessary for bidirectional communication with the brain.

The present disclosure relates to a method for preparing a nerve conduit, more particularly to a method for preparing a porous nerve conduit having micropores formed in microchannels and the nerve conduit prepared according to the present disclosure can be usefully used in in-vitro and in-vivo researches on nerves.

The present application provides methods of functionalizing an organ or tissue of a mammal by administering a nutrient (e.g., peracetylated N-azido galactosamine Ac4GalNAz) to the mammal or by culturing an organ or tissue in a bioreactor containing such nutrient. The present application also provides methods of selectively functionalizing extracellular matrix (ECM) of an organ or tissue of a mammal by administering a nutrient (e.g., peracetylated N-azido galactosamine Ac4GalNAz) to the mammal. In some aspects, the present application provides a decellularized scaffold of a mammalian organ or tissue comprising an extracellular matrix, wherein the extracellular matrix of the decellularized scaffold is functionalized with a chemical group that is reactive in a bioorthogonal chemical reaction, such as an azide chemical group. The present application also provides biological prosthetic mesh and mammalian organs and tissues for transplantation prepared according to the methods of the application.