Biological scaffolding material
View Patent ↗The invention provides methods of generating a natural, living biological matrix that can serve as, or form a part of, a natural biological scaffold. The matrix is generated by incubating together biological cells and cellular debris. Any naturally occurring cell can be a biological cell included in the matrix. The invention also provides methods of treating a patient by implanting the matrix or scaffolding into a tissue of the patient, thereby augmenting the existing tissue.
1. A method of generating a living biological matrix in vitro, the method consisting essentially of: (a) obtaining a cell sample; (b) disrupting the cell sample to create a mixture containing cells and cellular debris; (c) culturing the mixture, retaining the cellular debris, in culture medium for a time and under conditions sufficient to form a living biological matrix in vitro; and (d) separating the biological matrix from the culturing medium, wherein the cells include spore-like cells.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cell sample of step (a) is obtained from a subject who will be a recipient of the biological matrix.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cell sample of step (a) is obtained from a human.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cell sample comprises a bodily fluid.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the bodily fluid is blood.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the bodily fluid is cerebrospinal fluid.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cell sample comprises a portion of an organ.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cell sample comprises aurticular cartilage.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein before disrupting the cell sample, the perichondrium is removed from the cartilage.
10. The method of claim 1 , further adding to the separated mixture a component that adds shape, structure, or support to the matrix.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the component is a hydrogel or an adhesive.
12. The method of claim 1 , further adding to the matrix an antibiotic.
13. A method of augmenting a tissue defect in a subject, the method comprising: (a) preparing a living biological matrix according to the method of claim 1 ; and (b) administering the living biological matrix to the subject in the region of the tissue defect, wherein the matrix develops a characteristic of the endogenous tissue and thereby augments the tissue defect.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the tissue defect is in a muscle.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the muscle is the heart.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the tissue defect is in a portion of a lung, pancreas, spinal cord, joint, head, neck, skin, kidney, or liver of the subject.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the subject is a human.
18. A living biological matrix comprising cells, cell fragments, lipids, and polysaccharides,
wherein the matrix is made by a method consisting essentially of
(a) obtaining a cell sample;
(b) disrupting the cell sample to create a mixture containing cells and cellular debris;
(c) culturing the mixture, retaining the cellular debris, in culture medium for a time and under conditions sufficient to form a living biological matrix in vitro; and
(d) separating the biological matrix from the culturing medium, wherein the cells include spore-like cells.
19. The matrix of claim 18 , further comprising a component that adds shape, structure, or support to the matrix.
20. The matrix of claim 18 , further comprising a hydrogel or adhesive.
21. The matrix of claim 18 , further comprising an antibiotic.
22. The matrix of claim 18 , further comprising a cellular component selected from the group consisting of a fibronectin, laminin, collagen, glycoprotein, thrombospondin, elastin, fibrillin, mucopolysaccharide, glycolipid, heparin sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, keratin sulfate, glycosaminoglycan, and hyaluronic acid.
23. The matrix of claim 18 , wherein the cell sample of step (a) is obtained from a subject who will be a recipient of the biological matrix.
24. The matrix of claim 18 , wherein the cell sample is obtained from a human.
25. The matrix of claim 18 , wherein the cell sample comprises a bodily fluid.
26. The matrix of claim 25 , wherein the bodily fluid is blood.
27. The matrix of claim 25 , wherein the bodily fluid is cerebrospinal fluid.
28. The matrix of claim 18 , wherein the cell sample comprises a part of an organ.
29. The matrix of claim 18 , wherein the cell sample comprises auricular cartilage.
30. The matrix of claim 29 , wherein, before disrupting the cell sample, the perichondrium is removed from the cartilage.
31. The matrix of claim 18 , wherein the biological matrix is added to shape, structure, or support material.
32. A method of augmenting a tissue defect in a subject, the method comprising: (a) obtaining a living biological matrix of claim 18 ; and (b) administering the living biological matrix to the subject in the region of the tissue defect, wherein the matrix develops a characteristic of the endogenous tissue and thereby augments the tissue defect.