Abstract: This invention is directed to prosthesis, which, when implanted into a mammalian patient, serves as a functioning replacement for a body part, or tissue structure, and will undergo controlled biodegradation occurring concomitantly with bioremodeling by the patient's living cells. The prosthesis is treated so that it is rendered non-antigenic so as not to elicit a significant humoral immune response. The prosthesis of this invention, in its various embodiments, thus has dual properties. First, it functions as a substitute body part, and second, it functions as bioremodeling template for the ingrowth of host cells.

Abstract: A method and a device (10) for reorganizing the fibers of a matrix in a living tissue sheet (S) by inducing controlled mechanical constraints in the living tissue (S) sheet thus causing the fibers of the matrix to be aligned parallel to the strain orientation. The sheet (S) is held in a stretched state until the fibers set in place.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of tissue replacement and repair using a cultured bioremodelable connective tissue construct. The invention is specifically directed to a method for repairing annulus fibrosis of the intervertebral disc, after discectomy surgery where the annulus fibrosis has been opened, with a cultured bioremodelable connective tissue construct.

Abstract: A method for preparing a human or animal tissue by applying a compressive force to a stack of sheets of living tissue thereby inducing adjacent layers to fuse or adhere to each other. The force is applied in direction normal to the surface of the tissue. A multi-layer tissue produced by the method described above can also possess at least two different types of sheets and/or consist essentially of between two and twelve sheets of living tissue. The method can also be used to prepare a planar tissue that can further be incorporated in a multi-layer tissue construct. The methods and tissues described herein are useful for the preparation of engineered tissues.

Abstract: The invention features modular chambers for culturing cells in which the volume of a chamber can be adjusted without compromising the seal or sterility of the chamber. The invention is based on the principle that the volume of a chamber formed between two plates sandwiching a compressible gasket and a substantially incompressible stop can be adjusted using a gasket that forms a fluid-tight seal between the plates at a plurality of levels of compression. The invention enables the culture of cells between substantially parallel and rigid plates in which a relatively large volume can be used to seed the cells and the holdup volume reduced for perfusion without opening or otherwise disassembling the system to compromise its liquidtightness and sterility. The new closed, modular and scalable cell-culturing chamber can be thus perfused and used to culture cells (e.g., hepatocytes) with high levels of cell function in organ (e.g.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide an artificial trachea that is able to be used safely in the clinical application, and especially an artificial trachea for the intrathoracic trachea, and the artificial trachea comprises a polypropylene mesh tube for the base material, around the outer periphery of which a polypropylene filamentous stent is wound in a spiral shape, an amorphous collagen thin layer formed on the surface of the base material, and a fine fibrous collagen layer (20) formed on the inner and outer surface of the amorphous collagen thin layer, to which thermal dehydration crosslinking is performed.

Abstract: A process which makes it possible to prepare aldehydes under mild reaction conditions with a high efficiency through the reduction of carboxylic acids with molecular hydrogen. Specifically, a process of reducing an organic carboxylic acid with molecular hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst into an aldehyde corresponding to the acid, characterized by conducting the reduction in the presence of a dehydrating agent such as a carboxylic anhydride.