Microfabricated compositions and processes for engineering tissues containing multiple cell types

• US 8,357,528 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2011
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Incorporated, The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Incorporated, The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vacanti, Joseph P., Borenstein, Jeffrey T., Weinberg, Eli
• Primary Examiner(s): Ford, Allison
• Application Number:
  US13/156,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20110256619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 435/284.1
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2533/40 Polyhydroxyacids, e.g. polymers of glycolic or lactic acid (PGA, PLA, PLGA); Bioresorbable polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0062 General methods for three-dimensional culture
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0068 General culture methods using substrates for specific animal cell type C12N5/06
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0697 Artificial constructs associating cells of different lineages, e.g. tissue equivalents blood vessels C12N5/0691

Abstract

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional system, and compositions obtained therefrom, wherein individual layers of the system comprise channels divided longitudinally into two compartments by a centrally positioned membrane, and wherein each compartment can comprise a different cell type.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional system comprising at least two layers, wherein each layer comprises channels divided longitudinally into two compartments by a centrally positioned membrane, and wherein each compartment includes a different cell type and the membrane has pores sized to enable only fluid communication.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a support element for each layer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the membrane further comprises a solid material contained within at least one pore of the membrane.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a bridge connecting two sections of the same compartment.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a bridge connecting a compartment of one channel to a compartment of another channel.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the bridge connects compartments having same cell types.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the bridge connects compartments having primary cells in one of the connected compartments and compatible cells in the other connected compartment for providing support to the primary cells.

8. A three-dimensional system comprising:

at least two layers, wherein each layer comprises channels divided longitudinally into two compartments by a centrally positioned membrane, and wherein each compartment includes a different cell type and the membrane defines pores for fluid communication between the two compartments; and

a bridge connecting a compartment of one channel to a compartment of another channel, wherein the bridge connects compartments having primary cells in one of the connected compartments and compatible cells in the other connected compartment for providing support to the primary cells.