Wake Forest University

Children's Medical Center Corporation

Shay Soker

Michael Klagsbrun

Anthony Atala

James J Yoo

Hua-Quan Miao

Seiji Takashima

Michael L Gagnon

Keith Andrew Walter

J Koudy Williams

Richard Czerw

Joel Stitzel

Grace Lim

Jason Hipp

Giuseppe Orlando

Patrick Laber

Margaret Greven

Aleksander Skardal

Yuanyuan Zhang

Maria Graca Almeida-Porada

Anna Milanesi

GuoGuang Niu

Gunter Schuch

Pedro Miguel A M Baptista

Frank C Marini

Guoguang Niu

Pedro Miguel AM Baptista

Methods for decellularizing organs and tissues in vitro and in vivo are provided, as are methods of maintaining organ and tissue frameworks and methods of recellularizing organs and tissues, thereby providing an approach to needed organs or tissues.

Organ/tissue decellularization, framework maintenance and recellularization

An in vitro liver organoid is provided along with methods of making and using the organoid. A cell culture system that includes the liver organoid is also provided. The liver organoid has fetal liver characteristics and supports expansion and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells.

Bioengineered liver constructs and methods relating thereto

The invention provides a corneal endothelial composition comprising a transparent hydrogel scaffold and a single layer of cultured corneal endothelial cells on the surface of the scaffold. The hydrogel scaffold I comprised of at least one biopolymer, preferably gelatin. Also provided are methods of making a corneal endothelial scaffold.

Fabrication of gelatin hydrogel sheet for the transplantation of corneal endothelium

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for mimicking an in vivo environment for culturing cells in vitro. The in vivo mimicking environment is based on the generation of a tissue-specific extracellular matrix wherein the matrix provides a substrate for which the cultured cell originated from. The tissue-specific extracellular matrix can further comprise a component of a whole tissue-specific homogenate.

Tissue-specific extracellular matrix with or without tissue protein components for cell culture

Provided herein is an endothelial scaffold comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of decellularized corneal stroma. In some embodiments, the scaffold has cultured endothelial cells seeded thereon. Methods of treating a patient in need of corneal endothelial transplant are also provided, including implanting the scaffold as described herein onto a cornea of the patient (e.g., by deep keratectomy).

Methods of making endothelial scaffolds

The invention is directed to compositions and methods for preparing electrospun matrices comprising at least one natural biological material component and at least one synthetic polymer material. The natural component makes the matrices highly biocompatible while the molecular weight polymer component can impart additional strength mechanical strength to the scaffold and/or improve ease of manufacture by increasing viscosity and spinning characteristics of the solution during electrospining.

Electrospun cell matrices

The present invention concerns methods of screening cells for differentiation or de-differentiation, and/or for status as a pluripotent or multipotent (e.g., 'stem') cell, by detecting the differential expression (e.g., upregulation, downregulation) of genes.

Transcriptional profiling of stem cells and their multilineage differentiation

A method of treating diabetes in a mammalian subject is carried out by: (a) providing mammalian amniotic fluid stem cells, and then (b) administering the cells to the subject in an amount effective to treat diabetes. Optionally, the cells may be differentiated into pancreatic-like cells or at least treated to initiate subsequent differentiation into-pancreatic-like cells, prior to administration.

Regeneration of pancreatic islets by amniotic fluid stem cell therapy

The present invention provides methods and compositions of engineered cells for use in the continuous or transient delivery of growth factors and angiogenesis modulating agents, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), in conjunction with constructs for replacing or augmenting organ functions. In one aspect of the invention, the genetically engineered cells can be immature cells that are capable of differentiating and assimilating into the target region. The methods of the present invention can be used to enhance vascularization locally at a target site in need of repair, growth, or implantation through the incorporation of autologous cells which have been genetically engineered to secrete a growth factor or angiogenesis modulating agent.

Enhancement of angiogenesis to grafts using cells engineered to produce growth factors

The present invention provides isolated polypeptides having VEGF antagonist activity, pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treatment. The polypeptides of the invention include polypeptides comprising a portion of SEQ ID NO: 1 having VEGF antagonist activity, polypeptides comprising SEQ ID NO: 2 or a portion thereof having VEGF antagonist activity, and a polypeptide having the structure of formula (I), set forth above. The present invention further includes analogs and derivatives of these polypeptides having VEGF antagonist activity.

Pharmaceutical compositions comprising peptide antagonists of vascular endothelial growth factor

Corneal endothelial scaffolds and methods of use

The present invention relates to cDNA encoding a soluble neuropilin protein (sNP) which is isolated from neuropilin (NP) producing cells or is recombinantly engineered from NP-encoding DNA. NP-1 and NP-2 are preferred NPs but any neuropilin or VEGF receptor (VEGFR), where the constituents share at least about 85% homology with either of the above VEGFR/NP-1 and NP-2. More preferably, such constituent shares at least 90% homology. Still more preferably, each constituent shares at least 95% homology.

Soluble inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor and use thereof

The invention is directed to methods for preparing artificial blood vessels by preconditioning a matrix seeded with endothelial cells to fluid flow conditions that mimic blood flow.

Tissue engineered blood vessels

The present invention provides isolated polypeptides having VEGF antagonist activity, pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treatment of subjects having a disease or disorder associated with VEGF activity or subjects having tumors expressing a VEGF receptor. The polypeptides of the invention include polypeptides comprising a portion of SEQ ID NO: 1 having VEGF antagonist activity, polypeptides comprising SEQ ID NO: 2 or a portion thereof having VEGF antagonist activity, and a polypeptide having the structure of formula (I), set forth above. The present invention further includes analogs and derivatives of these polypeptides having VEGF antagonist activity.

Growing community of inventors

Greensboro, NC, United States of America

Shay Soker