Bioactive, resorbable scaffolds for tissue engineering

• US 20050118236A1
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gentis, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gentis, Inc.
• Inventors: Qiu, Qing-Qing, Cohen, Charles S., Ducheyne, Paul
• Application Number:
  US10/721,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20050118236A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/443
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/10 Ceramics or glasses
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/34 Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/446 with other specific inorganic fillers other than those covered by A61L27/443 or A61L27/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/56 Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/04 Polyesters derived from hydroxycarboxylic acids, e.g. lactones C08L67/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2525 Coating or impregnation functions biologically [e.g., insect repellent, antiseptic, insecticide, bactericide, etc.]

Abstract

Flexible, bioactive glass meshes and scaffolds made therefrom are provided. The meshes comprise interwoven bioactive glass fibers that can be coated with resorbable polymers. Meshes can also be woven from glass fibers and resorbable polymers. Scaffolds can be constructed by a plurality of meshes, which can have varying porosities to create porosity gradients in the scaffold. Methods of making scaffolds are provided which can comprise pulling bioactive glass fibers, winding the fibers, forming the fibers into bundles, coating the fibers with a resorbable polymer, and creating a biaxial weave with the bundles. Soft tissue engineering methods are also provided for creating scaffolds for incubating cells such as fibroblasts and chondroblasts. Meshes and scaffolds are suitable for tissue engineering, such as bone tissue engineering and cartilage tissue engineering.

Claims

1. A flexible, bioactive glass mesh comprising interwoven bioactive glass fibers coated with a resorbable polymer.

2. The mesh of claim 1 wherein said mesh comprises a porosity of between about 25% and 95%.

3. The mesh of claim 1 wherein said glass fibers are coated with a polylactic acid polymer or poly-glycolic acid polymer or both or their copolymers.

4. A flexible, bioactive mesh comprising glass fibers and first resorbable polymer fibers wherein said glass fibers are interwoven with said first resorbable polymer fibers.

5. The mesh of claim 4 wherein said glass fibers are woven perpendicularly to said first resorbable polymer fibers.

6. The mesh of claim 4 wherein said glass fibers and a first portion of said first resorbable polymer fibers are woven perpendicularly to a second portion of said first resorbable polymer fibers.

7. The mesh of claim 4 wherein the glass fibers are coated with a second resorbable polymer.

8. A flexible, bioactive scaffold comprising a plurality of bioactive meshes wherein said meshes comprise interwoven bioactive glass fibers coated with a resorbable polymer.

9. The scaffold of claim 8 wherein said plurality of bioactive meshes are laminated.

10. The scaffold of claim 8 wherein said plurality of bioactive meshes are stitched together.

11. A flexible, bioactive glass scaffold comprising a cartilage region wherein said cartilage region comprises a first bioactive mesh.

12. The scaffold of claim 11 further comprising a bone region wherein said bone region comprises a second bioactive mesh.

13. The scaffold of claim 11 wherein said first bioactive mesh comprises a porosity of between about 40% and about 95%.

14. The scaffold of claim 12 wherein said first bioactive mesh comprises a porosity of between about 40% and about 95% and said second bioactive mesh comprises a porosity of between about 25% and 80%.

15. A flexible, bioactive glass scaffold comprising a bone region wherein said bone region comprises a bioactive mesh.

16. The scaffold of claim 15 wherein said bioactive mesh comprises a porosity of between about 25% and 80%.

17. A flexible, bioactive glass scaffold comprising a non-calcified tissue region wherein said non-calcified tissue region comprises a bioactive mesh.

18. The scaffold of claim 17 wherein said bioactive mesh comprises a porosity of between about 25% and 95%.

19. A method of making a flexible, bioactive glass scaffold comprising:

pulling bioactive glass fibers;

winding said fibers;

coating said fibers with a resorbable polymer to form bundles; and

creating a biaxial weave with said bundles.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising layering a plurality of biaxial weaves to create a three-dimensional weave.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said plurality of biaxial weaves comprises biaxial weaves having differing porosities thereby creating a porosity gradient.

22. A method of making a flexible, bioactive glass scaffold comprising:

pulling bioactive glass fibers;

winding said fibers;

forming said fibers into bundles;

coating said bundles with a resorbable polymer; and

creating a biaxial weave with said bundles.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising layering a plurality of biaxial weaves to create a three-dimensional weave.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said plurality of biaxial weaves comprises biaxial weaves having differing porosities thereby creating a porosity gradient.

25. A method of engineering tissue in vitro comprising:

creating a biaxial weave comprising interwoven glass fibers;

creating a flexible bioactive glass scaffold comprising said glass fibers;

seeding fibroblasts onto said glass scaffold; and

incubating said fibroblasts.

26. A method of engineering tissue in vitro comprising:

creating a biaxial weave comprising interwoven glass fibers;

creating a flexible bioactive glass scaffold comprising said glass fibers;

seeding chondroblasts onto said glass scaffold; and

incubating said chondroblasts.

27. A method of treating a cartilage lesion in a mammal comprising:

providing a flexible, bioactive glass scaffold;

seeding chondrocyte-like cells onto said glass scaffold; and

implanting said glass scaffold into said mammal.