Encapsulation of cells in biologic compatible scaffolds by coacervation of charged polymers

• US 7,704,714 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2004
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Agency For Science Technology and Research
• Original Assignee: Agency For Science Technology and Research
• Inventors: Yu, Hanry, Toh, Yi Chin
• Primary Examiner(s): STANFIELD, CHERIE MICHELLE
• Application Number:
  US10/899,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20060019362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,101 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 435/182
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/165 Rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/24 Collagen
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/38 containing added animal cells organs or tissue containing native cells A61L27/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/44 having a macromolecular matrix
• 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 33/12 Homopolymers or copolymers of methyl methacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 11/04 entrapped within the carrier, e.g. gel or hollow fibres
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2533/30 Synthetic polymers thermoreactive polymers, e.g. PNIPAm, C12N2539/10
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0068 General culture methods using substrates for specific animal cell type C12N5/06

Abstract

This invention relates to a method for the encapsulation of cells in biologic compatible three dimensional scaffolds and the use of such cells encapsulated in a scaffold. The cells are embedded in a charged polymer that is complex coacervating with an oppositely charged polymer within biologic compatible scaffolds. The polymer complex embedding the cells is forming an ultra thin membrane on the surface of the three dimensional scaffold.

Claims

1. A composition comprising a cell-containing scaffold, said cell-containing scaffold consists of a reticulated structure of interconnected pores;

wherein cells are encapsulated on one or more surface of said scaffold in a second charged polymer;

the cell-containing scaffold being sandwiched between a first charged polymer and a third charged polymer;

the second charged polymer having a charge opposite to that of the first and third charged polymer the first charged polymer and the third charged polymer having the same electrical charge;

wherein the oppositely charged polymers form a polymer complex which forms a membrane covering said surface or surfaces of said scaffold.

2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the pore density of the scaffold varies between 20% and 95%.

3. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the scaffold comprises a material selected from the group consisting of agarose, polycaprolactone, niobium coated carbon, chitosan, collagen, hyaluronic acid, calcium phosphate, starch, hydroxyapatite, hydroxyapatite-tricalcium phosphate, fibrin, alginate, poly-glycolic acid, carbon nano fibres, polytetrafluoroethylene, polylactic acid.

4. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the scaffold has a regular shape.

5. The composition according to claim 4, wherein the scaffold has a rectangular shape.

6. The composition according to claim 5, wherein the largest dimension of the rectangular scaffold is between about 1 mm to about 5 cm.

7. The composition according to claim 4, wherein the scaffold has the shape of a sphere.

8. The composition according to claim 7, wherein the spherical scaffold has a diameter of between 1 mm to 5 cm.