Tissue re-surfacing with hydrogel-cell compositions
AssigneeUniversity of Massachusetts
InventorCharles A. Vacanti
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides compositions and methods for generating new tissue on a surface, e.g., a surface of damaged or lost tissue, of a structure or organ in a mammal, The methods involve applying a thin layer of a liquid hydrogel-cell composition to the surface; and allowing the liquid hydrogel-cell composition to solidify, thereby forming a matrix that enables the tissue precursor cells to grow and generate new tissue. The surface can be internal, e.g., the surface of an organ or the internal surface of a blood vessel, or external, e.g., skin.
Claims17
A method for generataing new living tissue on and external surface of a tissue structure or organ in a mammal, said method comprising:
- a) obtaining a liquid hydrogel-cell composition comprising a hydrogel and live tissue precursor cells;
- b) applying a thin layer of said liquid hydrogel-cell composition to the external surface in the mammal;
- and
- c) allowing said applied liquid hydrogel-cell composition to solidify, thereby forming a matrix that enables the tissue precursor cells to grow and generate new living tissue.
A method for generating new living skin on an external surface of damaged skin on a mammal, said method comprising:
- a) obtaining a liquid hydrogel-cell composition comprising a hydrogel and skin precursor cells;
- b) applying a thin layer of said liquid hydrogel-cell composition to the external surface of damaged skin on the mammal;
- and
- c) allowing said applied liquid hydrogel-cell composition to solidify, thereby forming a matrix that enables the skin precursor cells to grow and generate new living skin.
A method for generating new living cartilage on an external surface of damaged cartilage in a mammal, said method comprising:
- a) obtaining a liquid hydrogel-cell composition comprising a hydrogel and live chondrocytes;
- b) applying a thin layer of said liquid hydrogel-cell composition to the external surface of the damaged cartilage in the mammal;
- and
- c) allowing said applied liquid hydrogel-cell composition to solidify, thereby forming a matrix that enables the chondrocytes to grow and generate new living cartilage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.