Reference #: 01470
The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities for Regenerative Tissue-Mimetic Multilayer Fused Microgel-Cell Construct
Background:
Tissue engineering aims to make cellular constructs for implantation in an injured tissue defect in a human patient to restore, maintain, repair, regenerate or improve the function of the injured tissue.
Invention Description:
A novel composition and process to form multilayer microgel-cell construct as constructs for implantation in a tissue defect using decellularized, micronized tissue particles as microcarriers for cell expansion as well as a scaffold for delivery to the site of injury.
Potential Applications:
Natural tissue-specific microcarriers for culture and expansion of human cells: Currently, human cells are commercially expanded on tissue culture bioreactors with synthetic microcarriers like polystyrene, dextran, or gelatin microbeads. These microcarrier-based cell substrates are synthetic and general in nature, meaning that the substrate does not mimic that of the natural tissue. As these microcarriers are not natural to the expanded cells, a three-step process is using the cells for tissue regeneration.
Advantages and Benefits:
Currently, human cells are commercially expanded on cell culture bioreactors with synthetic microcarriers that do not mimic that of the natural tissue. As these microcarriers are not natural to the expanded cells, the cells are detached and separated from the microcarriers, reseeded in a porous scaffold, and cultured in a bioreactor prior to implantation. The detachment of the cells from microcarriers and reseeding the cells in a scaffold negatively affects cell viability and functionality. There is a need to simplify the aforementioned process of cell expansion, separation, scaffold reseeding, and cultivation in bioreactors in order to increase cell viability and functionality, reduce contamination and cost, and enhance quality of the tissue regeneration implant.