Methods and compositions for repair of cartilage using an in vivo bioreactor
First Claim
1. A method of repairing damaged cartilage in a joint of an individual, comprising delivering a device to the respective joint of the individual, wherein the device comprises:
- cells/scaffold composition; and
an encapsulating device that comprises;
a first membrane having an inside and an outside;
a second membrane having an inside and an outside, wherein the first membrane is encapsulated inside the second membrane;
a first volume disposed inside the first membrane;
a second volume that is disposed outside the first membrane and that is disposed inside the second membrane; and
a structure for adding fluid to the second volume, removing fluid from the second volume, or both,wherein the cells/scaffold composition is disposed inside the first membrane and the first membrane has the following characteristics;
semi-permeable;
biocompatible;
biodegradable; and
resorbable,wherein the second membrane has the following characteristics;
biocompatible;
hermetic to fluid;
permeable to oxygen;
resorbable;
biodegradable; and
expandable.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and compositions for the biological repair of cartilage using a hybrid construct combining both an inert structure and living core are described. The inert structure is intended to act not only as a delivery system to feed and grow a living, core component, but also as an inducer of cell differentiation. The inert structure comprises concentric internal and external and inflatable/expandable balloon-like bio-polymers. The living core comprises the cell-matrix construct comprised of HDFs, for example, seeded in a scaffold. The method comprises surgically removing a damaged cartilage from a patient and inserting the hybrid construct into the cavity generated after the foregoing surgical intervention. The balloons of the inert structure are successively inflated within the target area, such as a joint, for example. Also disclosed herein are methods for growing and differentiating human fibroblasts into chondrocyte-like cells via mechanical strain.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. A method of repairing damaged cartilage in a joint of an individual, comprising delivering a device to the respective joint of the individual, wherein the device comprises:
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cells/scaffold composition; and an encapsulating device that comprises; a first membrane having an inside and an outside; a second membrane having an inside and an outside, wherein the first membrane is encapsulated inside the second membrane; a first volume disposed inside the first membrane; a second volume that is disposed outside the first membrane and that is disposed inside the second membrane; and a structure for adding fluid to the second volume, removing fluid from the second volume, or both, wherein the cells/scaffold composition is disposed inside the first membrane and the first membrane has the following characteristics; semi-permeable; biocompatible; biodegradable; and resorbable, wherein the second membrane has the following characteristics; biocompatible; hermetic to fluid; permeable to oxygen; resorbable; biodegradable; and expandable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification