Scaffolding for tissue regeneration or repair

A method for the preparation of an epithelial graft, said method comprising:

• a. isolating a mixed cell population comprising:
• i. from about 1 to about 10% SP-positive cells;
• ii. from about 1 to about 10% CD34+ cells;
• and
• iii. from about 70% to about 95% blast cells of endodermal origin;
• b. applying said population in (a) to a vessel, in which minimal cellular adhesion to said vessel occurs,
• c. spinning said vessel in (b) at about 25 to about 125 rpm from about 1 to about 14 days to form spheroids, organoids, or a combination thereof;
• and
• d. isolating said spheroids, organoids or combination thereof;
• whereby said spheroids, organoids or combination thereof form epithelial tissue, when implanted in a subject.

An epithelial graft comprising:

• a. macroporous polyanionic polysaccharide-based scaffold wherein said polanionic polysaccharide comprises an alginate, a gellan, a gellan gum, a xanthan, agar, or a carrageenan;
• and
• a progenitor cell population enriched for hepatic, renal, pancreatic, thyroid or pituitary precursor cells wherein said scaffold is seeded with from about 1×108 to 1×109 progenitor cells per cm3 scaffold;
• whereby upon culturing said biograft, said progenitor cell population forms spheroids, organoids or a combination thereof in said scaffold.