Delivery of bioactive compounds to an organism

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method of delivering a bioactive compound to an organism that involves growing individual cells in vitro under conditions that allow the formation of an organized tissue, at least a subset of the cells containing a foreign DNA sequence which mediates the production of the bioactive compound; and implanting the organized tissue into the organism, whereby the bioactive compound is produced and delivered to the organism. Also disclosed herein is an in vitro method for producing a tissue having in vivo-like gross and cellular morphology that involves providing precursor cells of the tissue; mixing the cells with a solution of extracellular matrix components to create a suspension; placing the suspension in a vessel having a three dimensional geometry approximating the in vivo gross and cellular morphology of the tissue and having attachment surfaces coupled thereto; allowing the suspension to coalesce; and culturing the cells under conditions in which the cells form an organized tissue connected to the attachment surfaces. Also disclosed herein is an apparatus for producing in vitro a tissue having in vivo-like gross and cellular morphology. This apparatus includes a vessel having a three dimensional geometry approximating the in vivo morphology of the tissue and tissue attachment surfaces coupled thereto.