Abstract: A tissue engineering bioreactor is disclosed for growing three-dimensional tissue. Cells are seeded onto a mesh and provided with two media flows, each contacting a different side of the cells. The media flows contain different concentrations of nutrients, allowing nutrients to be delivered to the cells by diffusion gradient. The bioreactor can be used to grow liver tissue, and designed as an extracorporeal liver assist device in which blood or plasma is exposed to the three-dimensional liver tissue. The blood or plasma from a patient directed to flow against the liver tissue. The liver tissue is further exposed on its opposite side to media providing nutrients and gases. The device provides porous boundaries between the blood or plasma, tissue, and media; allowing nutrient and protein delivery by diffusion gradient to dialyze a patient's blood.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sterilizing, seeding, culturing, storing, shipping, and testing heart valves is disclosed. Specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for dynamically seeding and culturing heart valves with human cells, resulting in a heart valve populated with viable human cells. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a fluid reservoir, a pneumatic pressure chamber, a pressure source for providing a varying pressure to the pressure chamber, and a heart valve holder. In an alternative exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a fluid reservoir, a pump, a venturi tube, a heart valve chamber, a heart valve holder, and a valve connected to a timer. In each embodiment, the components are combined in a fluid circuit to create a variable cycling and pulsatile fluid flow for seeding and culturing which can closely resemble the physiological conditions found in the human heart.

Abstract: A tissue engineering bioreactor is disclosed for growing three-dimensional tissue. Cells are seeded onto a mesh and provided with two media flows, each contacting a different side of the cells. The media flows contain different concentrations of nutrients, allowing nutrients to be delivered to the cells by diffusion gradient. The bioreactor can be used to grow liver tissue, and designed as an extracorporeal liver assist device in which blood or plasma is exposed to the three-dimensional liver tissue. The blood or plasma from a patient directed to flow against the liver tissue. The liver tissue is further exposed on its opposite side to media providing nutrients and gases. The device provides porous boundaries between the blood or plasma, tissue, and media, allowing nutrient and protein delivery by diffusion gradient to dialyze a patient's blood.

Abstract: An apparatus for the large scale culturing and packaging of cell suspensions, three dimensional tissue, and other biological systems is disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of flexible or semi-flexible treatment chambers comprising one or more individual culture pockets, a plurality of rigid spacers, an inlet fluid manifold, an outlet fluid manifold, a fluid reservoir, and a means for transporting fluid within the system. During treatment, liquid media is transported from the fluid reservoir to the inlet manifold, which will in turn evenly distribute the media to each of the connected treatment chambers and internal culture pockets. An outlet fluid manifold is also provided to ensure that each treatment chamber is evenly filled and to ensure that any air bubbles formed during treatment are removed from the treatment chambers. The treatment chambers are flexible or semi-flexible so as to provide for easy end-user handling during rinsing and application of the cultured transplants.

Abstract: A method of producing recombinant transforming growth factor .beta.-induced H3 protein and the use of this protein to accelerate wound healing. H3 promoted adhesion of human dermal fibroblasts to tissue culture plastic. The protein is applied directly to a wound or is used to promote adhesion and spreading of dermal fibroblasts to a solid support such as a nylon mesh which is then applied to the wound. In addition, CHO cells expressing H3 inhibited tumor cell growth.

Abstract: A method of producing recombinant transforming growth factor .beta.-induced H3 protein and the use of this protein to accelerate wound healing. H3 promoted adhesion of human dermal fibroblasts to tissue culture plastic. The protein is applied directly to a wound or is used to promote adhesion and spreading of dermal fibroblasts to a solid support such as a nylon mesh which is then applied to the wound. In addition, CHO cells expressing H3 inhibited tumor cell growth.