Disclosed herein is a hybrid polymeric material comprising a tropoelastin and a copolymer of a polyol monomer and a polycarboxylic acid monomer. The hybrid polymeric material is suitable for use as a tissue scaffold.

The present invention relates to a process for producing a colored nonwoven fabric that contains a colorant and nanofibers, which includes the step of injecting a polymer compound A by an electrospinning method to deposit the nanofibers on a surface of a collector, in which the surface of the collector on which the nanofibers are deposited is at least partially formed into an uneven shape.

The present invention relates to [1] a concavo-convex plate for an electrospinning method, in which a surface resistivity of the concavo-convex plate is not more than 1×10.sup.−2Ω/□, and the concavo-convex plate has an uneven structure on at least a part of a surface thereof, and [2] a process for producing a nonwoven fabric containing nanofibers by an electrospinning method using the concavo-convex plate for an electrospinning method according to the aforementioned [1] as a collector, which includes the step of depositing the nanofibers on a surface of the concavo-convex plate on which the uneven structure is formed.

According to one embodiment, an electrospinning apparatus deposits a fiber on an electrode. The apparatus includes a transport section and a fiber deposition section. The transport section transports electrodes. The fiber deposition section deposits the fiber on first and second surfaces of the electrodes. The electrodes include coated and uncoated portions. The transport section transports the electrodes in a third direction in the fiber deposition section. The electrodes include first and second electrodes. The first electrode is positioned at one end in the second direction and transported so that the uncoated portion of the first electrode protrudes toward the one end side. The second electrode is positioned at other end in the second direction and transported so that the uncoated portion of the second electrode protrudes toward the other end side.

Closed disposable seeding systems with improved seeding chambers permitting uniform seeding of a scaffold or graft with patient's cells are provided. The seeding chambers with a variable width along the length of the chamber, or a minimal gap between the scaffold and chamber wall, provide an improvement of the prior seeding chambers of closed disposable seeding systems by providing faster and more efficient and uniform seeding of the grafts and scaffolds. Also described are scaffolds with biomechanical and structural properties permitting spontaneous reversal of stenosis and neotissue formation as the graft degrades yielding a scaffold-free neovessel.

The present disclosure relates to a nozzle block applied to an electrospinning device, which includes a radiation nozzle having a hollow radiation needle for discharging a spinning solution to the outside; a means of piercing having a diameter smaller than that of the radiation needle, at least one of which is coaxially disposed inside the radiation needle; and a reciprocating mechanism for reciprocating the means of piercing and the radiation needle relative to each other, thereby preventing the solution from being solidified at the tip of the radiation nozzle or the radiation nozzle from being blocked by external contaminants even if the electrospinning process is temporarily interrupted in the middle.

A composite implant device for use in a medical application, comprising a synthetically-derived mesh that mimics particular critical aspects of a biologically-derived mesh. The composite implant device can be used for the reinforcement and reconstruction of tissues within the body and can be comprised of a majority of synthetic components and minority of naturally-derived components which mimic the structure and function of a naturally-derived mesh.

An electrospinning apparatus and method for producing three-dimensional electrospun constructs is disclosed. Further, electrospinning apparatus and method 3D electrospun collagen based mineralized nanofibrous scaffold for alveolar ridge preservation prior to dental implant therapy are disclosed.

It has been established that optimizing cell seeding onto tissue engineering vascular grafts (TEVG) is associated with reduced inflammatory responses and reduced post-operative stenosis of TEVG. Cell seeding increased TEVG patency in a dose dependent manner, and TEVG patency improved when more cells were seeded, however duration of incubation time showed minimal effect on TEVG patency. Methods of engineering patient specific TEVG including optimal numbers of cells to maintain graft patency and reduce post-operative stenosis are provided. Closed, single-use customizable systems for seeding TEVG are also provided. Preferably the systems are custom-designed based on morphology of the patient specific graft, to enhance the efficacy of cell seeding.

Systems and methods are provided for fabricating microneedle arrays that includes electrospun fibers preferentially disposed within the microneedles of the array. Providing the electrospun fibers preferentially in the microneedles allows for more of a drug or other substance present in the fibers to be deposited into tissue or to provide other benefits. A mold for forming the microneedle arrays includes an insulating surface layer. The insulating surface layer affects the electric field during electrospinning such that electrospun fibers are deposited preferentially within the microneedle cavities of the mold relative to the surface of the mold. A bulk material can then be applied to the mold to form the bulk of the microneedles with electrospun fibers embedded within and a backing layer to which the microneedles are attached.