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University of Massachusetts

Lawrence J Bonassar

Henry R Costantino

David J Mooney

Mark A Tracy

Jon A Rowley

The invention features methods of making living tissue constructs having a predetermined shape by providing a negative mold having a defined shape; suspending isolated tissue precursor cells in a hydrogel to form a liquid hydrogel-precursor cell composition; introducing the liquid hydrogel-precursor cell composition into the mold; inducing gel formation to solidify the liquid hydrogel-precursor cell composition to form a living tissue construct; and removing the living tissue construct from the mold after gel formation.

Injection molding of living tissues

The invention relates to an improved method for administering live cells to a patient and compositions useful in the method. The composition comprises live cells and biocompatible, biodegradable polymer microparticles. The cells and microparticles of the cell/microparticle composition can be contacted immediately prior to administration, or can be contacted in culture for a specified period of time prior to administration. In the method of the invention, an effective amount of the cell/microparticle composition is administered to a patient in need thereof by injection to a treatment site of the patient to provide a therapeutic effect in the patient. The therapeutic effect can be, for example, the formation of new tissue at the treatment site, or the production and secretion of a biologically active secretory molecule at the treatment site. The composition comprising lives cells and biocompatible, biodegradable polymer microparticles can further comprise a biologically active agent. In a preferred embodiment, the biologically active agent is incorporated into the microparticle. The biologically active agent can be, for example, factors which modulate cell growth.

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Acton, MA, United States of America

Lawrence J Bonassar