Methods for treating bioprosthetic tissue using a nucleophile/electrophile in a catalytic system

Abstract

Methods for treating a bioprosthetic tissue are described herein. The methods comprise contacting the bioprosthetic tissue with at least one nucleophile and/or at least one electrophile in the presence of a catalytic system comprising at least one or a combination of a fluoride-based salt, a cesium-based salt, a potassium-based salt, a rubidium-based salt, or a carbonate-based salt. The methods may be used to alter functional groups on biological tissue which represent actual and potential calcium binding sites and also processes for cross-linking bioprosthetic tissue. Both processes may be used in conjunction with known fixative techniques, such as glutaraldehyde fixation, or may be used to replace known fixative techniques.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.