Prosthetic Tissue Valves

1 . A prosthetic valve for modulating fluid flow through an atrioventricular (AV) valve annulus region during cardiac cycles of a heart, said fluid flow exhibiting a plurality of positive and negative flow pressures during said cardiac cycles, said prosthetic valve comprising:

a remodelable biological tissue structure, said remodelable biological tissue structure defining a continuous tubular shaped sheet member,

said tubular shaped sheet member comprising an adaptive regeneration system adapted to induce modulated healing of cardiovascular tissue of said AV valve annulus region concomitantly with stress-induced hypertrophy of said tubular shaped sheet member when said tubular shaped sheet member is subjected to cardiac cycle induced physical stimuli,

said modulated healing of said damaged cardiovascular tissue comprising inflammation modulation of said damaged cardiovascular tissue and induced neovascularization, remodeling of said damaged cardiovascular tissue and regeneration of new cardiovascular tissue and tissue structures with site-specific structural and functional properties,

said stress-induced hypertrophy of said tubular shaped sheet member comprising adaptive remodeling of said tubular shaped sheet member, wherein said tubular shaped sheet member remodels and forms functioning valve structures that are similar to native valve structures,

said adaptive regeneration system comprising a material component and physical structure component,

said adaptive regeneration system material component comprising a biocompatible polymeric material or a crosslinked extracellular matrix (ECM) composition, said ECM composition comprising acellular ECM from a mammalian tissue source,

said adaptive regeneration system physical structure component comprising a valve member comprising a proximal valve annulus engagement end and a distal end, said proximal valve annulus engagement end of said valve member being configured to engage said AV valve annulus region,

said proximal valve annulus engagement end comprising a circumferential ribbon connection region and a plurality of ribbons projecting from said circumferential ribbon connection region toward said distal end of said valve member,

each of said plurality of ribbons comprising proximal and distal ends, a first edge region extending from said proximal end of each of said plurality of ribbons to said distal end of each of said plurality of ribbons and a second edge region extending from said proximal end of each of said plurality of ribbons to said distal end of each of said plurality of ribbons,

said proximal end of each of said plurality of ribbons being connected to said circumferential ribbon connection region, whereby said first and second edge regions of said plurality of elongated ribbon members form a plurality of flow modulating regions,

said distal ends of said plurality of elongated ribbon members being adapted to engage a cardiovascular structure, wherein said distal ends of said plurality of elongated ribbon members are positioned proximate each other in a constrained relationship and said fluid flow through said distal ends of said plurality of elongated ribbon members is restricted while said fluid flow is allowed to be transmitted through said fluid flow modulating regions when said fluid flow modulating regions are in an open position,

said valve member being configured to transition from an expanded position when said proximal valve annulus engagement end of said valve member is engaged to said AV valve annulus region and receives said fluid flow therein, and said fluid flow exhibits a first positive flow pressure of said plurality of positive flow pressures, to a collapsed position when said fluid flow exhibits a first negative flow pressure of said plurality of negative flow pressures,

said plurality of fluid flow modulating regions being configured to transition from said open position when said valve member is in said expanded position, wherein said plurality of fluid flow modulating regions allow said fluid flow to be transmitted through said valve member, to a closed position when said valve member is in said collapsed position, wherein said plurality of fluid flow modulating regions restrict said fluid flow through said valve member.

2 . The prosthetic valve of claim 1 , wherein said mammalian tissue source is selected from the group consisting of small intestine submucosa (SIS), urinary bladder submucosa (UBS), urinary basement membrane (UBM), liver basement membrane (LBM), stomach submucosa (SS), mesothelial tissue, placental tissue and cardiac tissue.

3 . The prosthetic valve of claim 1 , wherein said biocompatible polymeric material or a crosslinked ECM composition further comprises at least one exogenously added biologically active agent.

4 . The prosthetic valve of claim 3 , wherein said biologically active agent comprises a cell selected from the group consisting of a human embryonic stem cell, fetal cardiomyocyte, myofibroblast, and mesenchymal stem cell.

5 . The prosthetic valve of claim 3 , wherein said biologically active agent comprises a growth factor selected from the group consisting of a transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-α), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

6 . The prosthetic valve of claim 1 , wherein said biocompatible polymeric material or a crosslinked ECM composition further comprises a pharmacological agent.

7 . The prosthetic valve of claim 6 , wherein said pharmacological agent comprises an agent selected from the group consisting of an antibiotic, anti-viral, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-neoplastic, anti-spasmodic, anti-coagulant and anti-thrombotic agent.

8 . A prosthetic valve for modulating fluid flow through an atrioventricular (AV) valve annulus region during cardiac cycles of a heart, said fluid flow exhibiting a plurality of positive and negative flow pressures during said cardiac cycles, said prosthetic valve comprising:

a remodelable biological tissue structure, said remodelable biological tissue structure defining a continuous tubular shaped sheet member,

said tubular shaped sheet member comprising a biocompatible polymeric material or a crosslinked extracellular matrix (ECM) composition, said ECM composition comprising acellular ECM from a mammalian tissue source,

said tubular shaped sheet member further comprising a proximal valve annulus engagement end and a distal end, said proximal valve annulus engagement end being configured to engage said AV valve annulus region,

said proximal valve annulus engagement end comprising a circumferential ribbon connection region and a plurality of ribbons projecting from said circumferential ribbon connection region toward said sheet member distal end,

each of said plurality of ribbons comprising proximal and distal ends, a first edge region extending from said proximal end of each of said plurality of ribbons to said distal end of each of said plurality of ribbons and a second edge region extending from said proximal end of each of said plurality of ribbons to said distal end of each of said plurality of ribbons,

said proximal end of each of said plurality of ribbons being connected to said circumferential ribbon connection region, whereby said first and second edge regions of said plurality of elongated ribbon members form a plurality of flow modulating regions,

said distal ends of said plurality of elongated ribbon members being adapted to engage a cardiovascular structure, wherein said distal ends of said plurality of elongated ribbon members are positioned proximate each other in a constrained relationship and said fluid flow through said distal ends of said plurality of elongated ribbon members is restricted while said fluid flow is allowed to be transmitted through said fluid flow modulating regions when said fluid flow modulating regions are in an open position,

said tubular shaped sheet member being configured to transition from an expanded position when said proximal valve annulus engagement end of said tubular shaped sheet member is engaged to said AV valve annulus region and receives said fluid flow therein, and said fluid flow exhibits a first positive flow pressure of said plurality of positive flow pressures, to a collapsed position when said fluid flow exhibits a first negative flow pressure of said plurality of negative flow pressures,

said plurality of fluid flow modulating regions being configured to transition from said open position when said tubular shaped sheet member is in said expanded position, wherein said plurality of fluid flow modulating regions allow said fluid flow to be transmitted through said tubular shaped sheet member, to a closed position when said tubular shaped sheet member is in said collapsed position, wherein said plurality of fluid flow modulating regions restrict said fluid flow through said tubular shaped sheet member.

9 . The prosthetic valve of claim 8 , wherein said mammalian tissue source is selected from the group consisting of small intestine submucosa (SIS), urinary bladder submucosa (UBS), urinary basement membrane (UBM), liver basement membrane (LBM), stomach submucosa (SS), mesothelial tissue, placental tissue and cardiac tissue.