Method for improvement of differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells using a double-structured tissue implant

1. An implant for repairing a cartilage or a tissue defect comprising:

an acellular, three-dimensional scaffold comprising collagen and defining a plurality of pores;

a lyophilized and dehydrothermally-treated composition having a basic pH and comprising a collagenous solution or gel and a surfactant, wherein the composition fills the plurality of pores and forms a fibrous and cross-linked collagen network within the plurality of pores; and

a plurality of cells selected from the group consisting of chondrocytes, stromal cells, stem cells, and bone marrow aspirate, seeded within the implant.

2. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the acellular, three-dimensional scaffold is a biodegradable sponge, a honeycomb or honeycomb-like scaffold, or a thermo-reversible hydrogel (TRGH).

3. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the acellular, three-dimensional scaffold is prepared from a compound selected from the group consisting of Type I collagen, Type II collagen, Type III collagen, Type IV collagen, and Type V collagen.

4. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pores are substantially uniform in size with a defined diameter of about 300±100 μm, and wherein the sizes and diameters of the pores on both a top surface and a bottom surface are substantially the same.

5. The implant of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of pores are vertically oriented.

6. The implant of claim 4 , further comprising a morphogenetic growth factor incorporated therein.

7. The implant of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of cells comprise stem cells.

8. The implant of claim 4 , further comprising a morphogenetic growth factor incorporated therein.

9. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the collagenous solution or gel comprises Type 1 collagen, Type II collagen, methylated collagen, gelatin, or any combination thereof.

10. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is ionic or non-ionic.

11. The implant of claim 10 , wherein the surfactant is a derivatized polyethylene glycol or a block co-polymer of polyoxyethylene (PEO) and polyoxypropylene (PPO) having the generic organization of polymeric blocks PEG-PPO-PEG or PPO-PEG-PPO.

12. The implant of claim 11 , wherein the derivatized polyethylene glycol is polyethylene glycol p-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)-phenyl ether.

13. The implant of claim 11 , wherein the block co-polymer is a polymer of polyoxyethylene (PEO) and polyoxypropylene (PPO) with two 96-unit hydrophilic PEO chains surrounding one 69-unit hydrophobic PPO chain.

14. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cells comprise human articular chondrocytes.

15. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cells comprise mesenchymal stem cells, neural stem cells, or bone marrow stem cells.

16. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the tissue defect comprises tissue selected from a group consisting of chondral, muscle, vascular, cardiac, epithelial, or neural tissue.

17. The implant of claim 1 , further comprising a cell modulator incorporated therein.

18. The implant of claim 17 , wherein the cell modulator is selected from a group consisting of a pharmaceutical agent, a growth factor, a growth hormone, a mediator, an enzyme promoting cell incorporation, an enzyme promoting cell proliferation, an enzyme promoting cell division, a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, an additive, and a buffer.

19. The implant of claim 18 , wherein the growth factor comprises a transforming growth factor, an insulin-like growth factor 1, a platelet-derived growth factor, a repulsive guidance molecule or a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP).

20. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the dehydrothermally-treated composition was subjected to a temperature between about 70° C. to about 200° C., for about 30 minutes to about 7 days, under a vacuum.