Seeding parenchymal cells into compression resistant porous scaffold after vascularizing in vivo

A method for enhancing in vivo survival of parenchymal cells in an implanted scaffold comprising:

• a. implanting into the body of a patient a porous three-dimensional scaffold composed of a biocompatible polymer having a sponge or foam structure and having generally interconnected pores of between approximately 100 and 300 microns in diameter throughout the scaffold,
• wherein the pores of the scaffold provide sufficient surface area to the scaffold to permit attachment of an amount of the cells effective to produce functional vascularized organ tissue in vivo,
• wherein the scaffold is resistant to compression within the patient, to thereby maintain the pore size of the scaffold between approximately 100 and 300 microns, and
• wherein the structure of the scaffold allows the introduction of cells into the vascularized scaffold without damage to the cells or patient;
• b. maintaining the scaffold in the patient until the scaffold is between 10% and 90% vascularized and infiltrated with viable connective tissue;
• and
• c. introducing viable parenchymal cells into the vascularized scaffold, wherein survival of the parenchytmal cells in the vascularized scaffold is enhanced relative to survival of parenchytmal cells in an unvascularized scaffold.

A method for producing a functional vascularized organ tissue in vivo comprising:

• a. implanting into a patient a porous three-dimensional scaffold composed of a biocompatible polymer and having generally interconnected pores of between approximately 100 and 300 microns in diameter throughout the scaffold,
• wherein the pores of the scaffold provide sufficient surface area to the scaffold to permit attachment of an amount of the cells effective to produce functional vascularized organ tissue in vivo, and
• wherein the scaffold is resistant to compression within the patient, thereby maintaining the pore size of the scaffold to between approximately 100 and 300 microns, and the structure of the scaffold allows the introduction of cells into the vascularized scaffold without damage to the cells or patient;
• b. maintaining the scaffold in the patient until the scaffold is between 10% and 90% vascularized and infiltrated with viable connective tissue;
• and
• c. introducing viable hepatocytes into the vascularized scaffold.

A method for enhancing in vivo survival of hepatocytes in an implanted scaffold comprising:

• a. implanting into the body of a patient a porous three-dimensional scaffold composed of a biocompatible polymer having a sponge or foam structure and having generally interconnected pores of between approximately 100 and 300 microns in diameter throughout the scaffold,
• wherein the pores of the scaffold provide sufficient surface area to the scaffold to permit attachment of an amount of the cells effective to produce functional vascularized organ tissue in vivo,
• wherein the scaffold is resistant to compression within the patient, to thereby maintain the pore size of the scaffold between approximately 100 and 300 microns, and
• wherein the structure of the scaffold allows the introduction of cells into the vascularized scaffold without damage to the cells or patient;
• b. maintaining the scaffold in the patient until the scaffold is between 10% and 90% vascularized and infiltrated with viable connective tissue;
• and
• c. introducing viable hepatocytes into the vascularized scaffold, wherein survival of the hepatocytes in the vascularized scaffold is enhanced relative to survival of hepatocytes in an unvascularized scaffold.