Production of tissue engineered digits and limbs

1. A method of producing an artificial composite flexible digit construct permitting coordinated motion, comprising:

providing a first biocompatible, biodegradable matrix, wherein the first matrix comprises a composite synthetic polymer and collagen matrix having a substantially uniform porous structure and a porosity greater than about 50% for cell accommodation, the composite further comprising about 25% to about 75% synthetic polymer to provide sufficient rigidity to provide structural support for bone tissue regeneration;

seeding the first matrix with an isolated population of cells selected from the group consisting of cartilage-forming cells, bone-forming cells and combinations thereof;

providing a second biocompatible matrix, wherein the second matrix comprises a flexible, collagen-containing matrix;

seeding the second matrix with an isolated population of muscle progenitor cells (MPCs);

preconditioning the seeded second matrix in a bioreactor that provides intermittent stretching of the MPC-seeded second matrix to promote unidirectional muscle fiber growth and orientation;

joining the first matrix to the second matrix; and

joining the second matrix to an additional matrix or a bone structure such that the second matrix produces a flexible linkage therebetween to produce the artificial composite flexible digit construct capable of coordinated motion.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second matrix is joined to two separate first matrices.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second matrix is joined to the first matrix and a natural bone structure.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first matrix is selected from the group consisting of an electrospun substrate, a decellularized substrate, and a synthetic polymer substrate.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second matrix is selected from the group consisting of a decellularized bladder submucosa substrate and an electrospun substrate.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of joining the first matrix and the second matrix comprises using a joining technique selected from the group consisting of suturing, heating, and gluing with biological glue.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first matrix and the second matrix further comprise a biological agent selected from the group consisting of nutrients, growth factors, cytokines, extracellular matrix components, inducers of differentiation, products of secretion, immunomodulators, proteins, antibodies, nucleic acids molecules, carbohydrates, and biologically-active compounds which enhance or allow growth of the cellular network or nerve fibers.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the biological agent is a growth factor selected from the group consisting of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-α), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), nerve growth factor (NGF), brain derived neurotrophic factor, cartilage derived factor, bone growth factor (BGF), basic fibroblast growth factor, insulin-like growth factor (IGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), hepatocyte growth factor, glial neurotrophic growth factor (GDNF), stem cell factor (SCF), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), and skeletal growth factor.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first matrix is selected from the group consisting of a cartilage tissue layer and a bone tissue layer.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bone-forming cells are selected from the group consisting of osteogenic cells, osteoblasts, osteocytes, osteoclasts, and bone-lining cells.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first matrix is a composite scaffold.

12. A method of producing an artificial composite flexible joint construct permitting coordinated motion, comprising:

providing a first biocompatible, biodegradable matrix, wherein the first matrix comprises a composite synthetic polymer and collagen matrix having a substantially uniform porous structure and a porosity greater than about 50% for cell accommodation, the composite further comprising about 25% to about 75% synthetic polymer to provide sufficient rigidity to provide structural support for bone tissue regeneration;

seeding the first matrix with an isolated population of cells selected from the group consisting of cartilage-forming cells, bone-forming cells and combinations thereof;

providing a second biocompatible matrix, wherein the second matrix comprises a flexible, collagen-containing matrix;

seeding the second matrix with an isolated population of muscle progenitor cells (MPCs);

preconditioning the seeded second matrix in a bioreactor that provides intermittent stretching of the MPC-seeded second matrix to promote unidirectional muscle fiber growth and orientation;

joining the first matrix to the second matrix; and

joining the second matrix to an additional matrix or a bone structure, such that the second matrix produces a flexible linkage therebetween to produce the artificial composite flexible joint construct capable of coordinated motion,

wherein at least one of the isolated populations of cells have been transformed to express a biological agent.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the isolated population of cells expressing the biological agent is transfected with a plasmid encoding the biological agent.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the biological agent is selected from the group consisting of nutrients, growth factors, cytokines, extracellular matrix components, inducers of differentiation, products of secretion, immunomodulators, proteins, antibodies, nucleic acids molecules, carbohydrates, and biologically-active compounds which enhance or allow growth of the cellular network or nerve fibers.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the biological agent is a growth factor selected from the group consisting of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-α), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), nerve growth factor (NGF), brain derived neurotrophic factor, cartilage derived factor, bone growth factor (BGF), basic fibroblast growth factor, insulin-like growth factor (IGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), hepatocyte growth factor, glial neurotrophic growth factor (GDNF), stem cell factor (SCF), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), and skeletal growth factor.

16. A method of producing an artificial composite flexible joint construct permitting coordinated motion, comprising:

providing a first biocompatible, biodegradable matrix, wherein the first matrix comprises a composite synthetic polymer and collagen matrix having a substantially uniform porous structure and a porosity greater than about 50% for cell accommodation, the composite further comprising about 25% to about 75% synthetic polymer to provide sufficient rigidity to provide structural support for bone tissue regeneration;

seeding the first matrix with an isolated population of osteoblasts and at least one population of cells selected from the group consisting of cartilage cells, chondrocytes and chondroblasts;

providing a second biocompatible matrix, wherein the second matrix comprises a flexible, collagen-containing matrix;

seeding the second matrix with an isolated population of muscle progenitor cells (MPCs);

preconditioning the seeded second matrix in a bioreactor that provides intermittent stretching of the MPC-seeded second matrix to promote unidirectional muscle fiber growth and orientation;

joining the first matrix to the second matrix; and

joining the second matrix to an additional matrix or a bone structure, such that the second matrix produces a flexible linkage therebetween to produce the artificial composite flexible joint construct capable of coordinated motion.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first matrix is an electrospun matrix.

18. A method of producing an artificial composite flexible joint construct permitting coordinated motion, comprising:

providing a first biocompatible, biodegradable matrix, wherein the first matrix comprises a composite synthetic polymer and collagen matrix having a substantially uniform porous structure and a porosity greater than about 50% for cell accommodation, the composite further comprising about 25% to about 75% synthetic polymer to provide sufficient rigidity to provide structural support for bone tissue regeneration;

seeding the first matrix with an isolated population of cells selected from the group consisting of cartilage-forming cells, bone-forming cells and combinations thereof;

providing a second biocompatible matrix, wherein the second matrix comprises a flexible, collagen-containing matrix;

seeding the second matrix with an isolated population of muscle progenitor cells (MPCs);

preconditioning the seeded second matrix in a bioreactor that provides intermittent stretching of the MPC-seeded second matrix to promote unidirectional muscle fiber growth and orientation;

joining the first matrix to the second matrix; and

joining the second matrix to an additional matrix or a bone structure, such that the second matrix produces a flexible linkage therebetween to produce the artificial composite flexible joint construct capable of coordinated motion,

wherein at least one of the first and second matrix further comprises at least one nanoparticle coupled to a releasable biological agent and incorporated within the matrix.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the first biocompatible matrix comprises providing a first matrix comprising a composite synthetic polymer and submucosal-derived collagen matrix.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of providing the first biocompatible matrix comprises providing a first matrix comprising a composite synthetic polymer and submucosal-derived collagen matrix.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of providing the first biocompatible matrix comprises providing a first matrix comprising a composite synthetic polymer and submucosal-derived collagen matrix.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of providing the first biocompatible matrix comprises providing a first matrix comprising a composite synthetic polymer and submucosal-derived collagen matrix.

23. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additional matrix is selected from the group consisting of an electrospun substrate, a decellularized substrate, and a synthetic polymer substrate.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additional matrix is selected from the group consisting of a cartilage tissue layer and a bone tissue layer.

25. The method of claim 12 , wherein the additional matrix is selected from the group consisting of an electrospun substrate, a decellularized substrate, and a synthetic polymer substrate.

26. The method of claim 12 , wherein the additional matrix is selected from the group consisting of a cartilage tissue layer and a bone tissue layer.

27. The method of claim 16 , wherein the additional matrix is selected from the group consisting of an electrospun substrate, a decellularized substrate, and a synthetic polymer substrate.

28. The method of claim 16 , wherein the additional matrix is selected from the group consisting of a cartilage tissue layer and a bone tissue layer.

29. The method of claim 18 , wherein the additional matrix is selected from the group consisting of an electrospun substrate, a decellularized substrate, and a synthetic polymer substrate.

30. The method of claim 18 , wherein the additional matrix is selected from the group consisting of a cartilage tissue layer and a bone tissue layer.