Methods and apparatus for in vivo cell localization

• US 20040228897A1
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ping Y.E. Zhang, Xiu-Ming Yang, Yi Zhang
• Original Assignee: Ping Y.E. Zhang, Xiu-Ming Yang, Yi Zhang
• Inventors: Yang, Xiu-Ming, Zhang, Yi, Zhang, Ping Ye
• Application Number:
  US10/439,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20040228897A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/423
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/08 Muscles; Tendons; Ligaments sutures A61B17/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2481 Devices outside the heart wall, e.g. bags, strips or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0894 Muscles
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3804 characterised by specific cells or progenitors thereof, e.g. fibroblasts, connective tissue cells, kidney cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3834 Cells able to produce different cell types, e.g. hematopoietic stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, marrow stromal cells, embryonic stem cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3873 Muscle tissue, e.g. sphincter

Abstract

The present invention includes a medical device for use to assist stem cell and/or stem cell derivatives in repopulating, repairing and/or replacing the heart tissue in a failing heart muscle, in order to restore the heart'"'"'s ability to pump blood. The medical device is made of biocompatible materials. The specific design of the device will facilitate the stem cells coated in the device to repopulate heart muscles inside the heart. Stem cells are attached to the coated device, proliferated and/or differentiated on the device in a bioreactor before implantation. The device also contains bioactive components that diminish rejection by the host'"'"'s immune system. The device may be directly implanted into the failing heart muscle area to assist stem cells to repair failing heart muscles via surgical and/or percutaneous catheter based procedures. In another embodiment, the device may be implanted to the surgical site where abnormal heart muscles are removed, to assist stem cells to repopulate heart muscles, to replace the failing heart muscles.

Claims

1. A transplantable cell coated device comprising:

a structure for adhering to and growing cells; and

a transplant anchoring system.

2. The transplantable cell coated device of claim 1, wherein said device further comprises a releasable attachment mechanism.

3. The transplantable cell coated device of claim 1, wherein the structure and cells are compatible with the target location of a mammalian body.

4. The transplantable cell coated device of claim 1, wherein the structure and cells are compatible with the cardiac muscle of a human.

5. The transplantable cell coated device of claim 1, wherein the transplant anchoring system is compatible with the target location of a mammalian body.

6. The transplantable cell coated device of claim 5, wherein the transplant anchoring system is selected from the group consisting of adhesives, sutures, prongs, hooks and spikes.

7. The transplantable cell coated device of claim 5, wherein the cells are selected from the group consisting of stem-cells, human embryonic stem cells, human embryonic germ cells, human embryonic carcinomas cells, adult stem cells, and cardiomyocytes.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step for releasing the cell coated structure is selected from the group consisting of;

mechanical force, rotational force, plunger, vacuum pressure and electrical separation.

8. A method for delivering cells to a target location within a mammalian body;

comprising;

adhering to and growing cells on a compatible structure;

administering said cell coated structure to a tissue or organ;

anchoring said cell coated structure to said tissue or organ; and

allowing said cell coated structure to engraft into said tissue or organ.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the cell coated structure is introduced via a surgical technique.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the cell coated structure is introduced via a catheter based system.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of releasing said cell coated structure to said tissue or organ.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the cell coated structure is anchored to the tissue or organ by choosing from the group consisting of adhesives, sutures, hooks, prongs and spikes.

14. A delivery catheter comprising:

a catheter body comprising at least one lumen therethrough, and a flexible tubing having proximal and distal ends, wherein the proximal end is a connection mechanism;

a tip section comprising a first releasable attachment system;

a cell coated device comprising a second releasable attachment system and an implant securing mechanism, wherein the second releasable attachment system cooperates with the first releasable attachment system of the tip section.

15. The delivery catheter of claim 14, wherein the tip section is releasably connected to a cell coated device.

16. The delivery catheter of claim 15, wherein the tip section is released from the cell coated device using vacuum pressure.

17. The delivery catheter of claim 15, wherein the tip section is released from the cell coated device using mechanical force, rotational force, plunger, vacuum pressure or electrical separation.

18. The delivery catheter of claim 14, wherein the proximal end of the catheter body is connected to an accessory, and whereby the accessory is translocated through the lumen and to the distal end of the catheter body contacting the first releasable attachment system of the tip section.

19. The delivery catheter of claim 18, wherein the accessory is a vacuum, and whereby vacuum pressure is translocated through the lumen and to the distal end of the catheter body contacting the first releasable attachment system of the tip section.

20. The delivery system of claim 18, wherein the accessory is a plunger handle, and whereby the plunger shaft is translocated through the lumen and to the distal end of the catheter body contacting the first releasable attachment system of the tip section.

21. The delivery system of claim 18, wherein the accessory is a rotational torque device, and whereby the rotational torque device is translocated through the lumen and to the distal end of the catheter body contacting the first releasable attachment system of the tip section.

22. A method of treating damaged tissues and organs comprising:

adhering and growing cells on a biocompatible structure;

administering said cell coated structure to the damaged tissue or organ;

anchoring said cell coated structure to said tissue or organ at an optimal breadth and depth for repopulation of the damaged tissue or organ; and

allowing said cell coated structure to optimally engraft into said tissue or organ.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the cell coated structure is administered via surgical techniques.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the cell coated structure is administered via a catheter.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the cell coated structure attached to the damaged tissue and/or organ by an anchoring step selected from the group consisting of adhesives, hooks, prongs, spikes and sutures.