Population of undifferentiated neural, endocrine or neuroendocrine cells in a hydrogel support

• US 7,470,425 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2003
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Children's Medical Center Corporation, VCellTherapeutics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Children's Medical Center Corporation, Vbi Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Vacanti, Joseph P., Vacanti, Martin P., Vacanti, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Romeo; David S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gamett; Daniel C
• Application Number:
  US10/713,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20040101518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,873 Days
• Field of Search: 435/325, 435/352, 435/353, 435/363, 435/366, 435/368, 435/377
• US Class Current: 424/93.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/28 Bones joints A61F2/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30756 Cartilage endoprostheses A61F2/3603 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30062 (bio)absorbable, biodegradable, bioerodable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30199 Three-dimensional shapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0004 bioabsorbable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0063 Three-dimensional shapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00293 containing a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. apatite
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/12 Phosphorus-containing materials, e.g. apatite
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/18 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3821 Bone-forming cells, e.g. osteoblasts, osteocytes, osteoprogenitor cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/383 Nerve cells, e.g. dendritic cells, Schwann cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3843 Connective tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3878 Nerve tissue, brain, spinal cord, nerves, dura mater
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/52 Hydrogels or hydrocolloids
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/56 Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/58 Materials at least partially resorbable by the body
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/00 Compositions of polyesters obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic ester link in the main chain of polyester-amides C08L77/12; of polyester-imides C08L79/08; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/04 Polyesters derived from hydroxycarboxylic acids, e.g. lactones C08L67/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 73/02 Polyanhydrides
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2533/30 Synthetic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2533/40 : Polyhydroxyacids, e.g. polymers of glycolic or lactic acid (PGA, PLA, PLGA); Bioresorbable polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0068 : General culture methods using substrates for specific animal cell type C12N5/06

Abstract

The invention features a method for generating new tissue by obtaining a liquid hydrogel-cell composition including a hydrogel and tissue precursor cells; delivering the liquid hydrogel-cell composition into a permeable, biocompatible support structure; and allowing the liquid hydrogel-cell composition to solidify within the support structure and the tissue precursor cells to grow and generate new tissue. The invention also features a tissue forming structure including a permeable, biocompatible support structure having a predetermined shape that corresponds to the shape of desired tissue; and a hydrogel-cell composition at least partially filling the support structure, wherein the hydrogel-cell composition includes a hydrogel and tissue precursor cells. The new tissue forming structure can be used in new methods to generate various tissues (e.g., to treat defective tissue) including new bone, cartilage, and nervous tissue such as spinal cord tissue. The invention also new isolated nervous system stem cells.

Claims

1. A population of isolated mammalian adult undifferentiated cells obtainable following digestion of dissociated neural, endocrine or neuroendocrine tissue with trypsin, in combination with a support material for implantation, wherein the structure of the support material guides the development and shape of new tissue from the cell population and resists external compressive and tensile stresses from the environment and surrounding tissues.

2. The undifferentiated cell population of claim 1, wherein the undifferentiated cell population is isolated from adrenal gland or pancreas tissue.

3. The undifferentiated cell population of claim 1 isolated by digestion of the tissue with trypsin, washing the cells with buffer and isolation of the cells by centrifugation sufficient to separate the undifferentiated intact cells from the buffer.

4. The undifferentiated cell population of claim 1 isolated from the hypothalamus, pituitary, parathyroid, or thyroid.

5. The undifferentiated cell population of claim 1 isolated from along the intestinal tract or the aorta.

6. The undifferentiated cell population of claim 1 wherein the tissue is digested under conditions equivalent to 0.05 % trypsin at 37°

C. for five minutes.

7. The undifferentiated cell population of claim 1 further comprising a hydrogel.

8. The undifferentiated cell population of claim 7 wherein the support material is selected from the group consisting of sponges, foam, coral, rigid inorganic, ceramic, or metal structures having internal pores, a honeycomb structure made from titanium, a skeleton of struts, a mesh of interwoven polymer fibers, and a network of metal, inorganic, ceramic, or plastic rods.

9. The undifferentiated cell population of claim 1 wherein the support material comprises a polymeric support structure.

10. The undifferentiated cell population of claim 1 further comprising factors selected from the group consisting of growth factors, nutrients, and drugs.

11. The undifferentiated cell population of claim 7 or 8 wherein the cell population in combination with a support material and support structure are useful for spinal cord repair.