Abstract: A tissue graft composition is described herein that includes a segment of small intestinal submucosa having at least one nanoparticle incorporated therein such that the permeability of the segment of small intestinal submucosa is altered, thereby providing the segment of small intestinal submucosa with a more substantially uniform structure for cell migration and proliferation. The tissue graft composition may further comprise at least one macromolecule incorporated into the nanoparticle. The tissue graft composition may be utilized in seeded or unseeded methods of tissue repair.

Abstract: A method for providing a urinary tract tissue graft composition includes providing a segment of small intestinal submucosa and isolating and culturing at least one multipotent cell type from a tissue specimen of a subject. The at least one multipotent cell type is then seeded upon a surface of the segment of small intestinal submucosa and allowed to differentiate into a unipotent cell type, thereby forming a urinary tract tissue graft. Methods for repairing a damaged urinary tract tissue of a subject are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for providing a urinary tract tissue graft composition includes providing a segment of small intestinal submucosa and positioning the segment of small intestinal submucosa in a tissue culture frame such that the segment of small intestinal submucosa is suspended and held in a taut position by the tissue culture frame. At least one multipotent cell type is isolated from a tissue specimen of a subject and cultured, and then seeded upon a surface of the segment of small intestinal submucosa, thereby forming a urinary tract tissue graft. Methods for repairing a damaged urinary tract tissue of a subject are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for providing a urinary tract tissue graft composition includes providing a segment of small intestinal submucosa and isolating and culturing at least one multipotent cell type from a tissue specimen of a subject. The at least one multipotent cell type is then seeded upon a surface of the segment of small intestinal submucosa and allowed to differentiate into a unipotent cell type, thereby forming a urinary tract tissue graft. Methods for repairing a damaged urinary tract tissue of a subject are also disclosed.

Abstract: A tissue graft composition is described herein that includes a segment of small intestinal submucosa having at least one nanoparticle incorporated therein such that the permeability of the segment of small intestinal submucosa is altered, thereby providing the segment of small intestinal submucosa with a more substantially uniform structure for cell migration and proliferation. The tissue graft composition may further comprise at least one macromolecule incorporated into the nanoparticle. The tissue graft composition may be utilized in seeded or unseeded methods of tissue repair.

Abstract: Methods of identifying the presence of differentially expressed transcripts associated with the presence of at least one circulating tumor cell in a biological sample of a cancer patient involves the use of suppression subtractive hybridization to identify differentially expressed transcripts present in biological samples of cancer patients not present in healthy patients, as well as differentially expressed transcripts present in biological samples of healthy patients and not present in the cancer patients. Utilizing these methods, a gene expression profile associated with a specific cancer phenotype can be constructed.

Abstract: A method for repairing damaged or diseased urinary tract tissue includes providing a urinary tract tissue graft composition that includes a distal ileal segment of small intestinal submucosa. The distal ileal segment of small intestinal submucosa may be utilized as an unseeded tissue graft composition, or the distal ileal segment of small intestinal submucosa may be positioned in a tissue culture frame, and smooth muscle and urothelial cells isolated from a tissue specimen of a subject and cultured are then seeded upon the distal ileal segment of small intestinal submucosa, thereby forming a urinary tract tissue graft.

Abstract: A method for providing a urinary tract tissue graft composition includes providing a tissue culture frame and a segment of small intestinal submucosa and positioning the segment of small intestinal submucosa in the tissue culture frame such that the segment of small intestinal submucosa is suspended and held in a taut position by the tissue culture frame. Smooth muscle and urothelial cells are isolated from a tissue specimen of a subject and cultured, and then seeded upon the segment of small intestinal submucosa, thereby forming a urinary tract tissue graft. A tissue culture frame in which such a urinary tract tissue graft may be formed is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for providing a urinary tract tissue graft composition includes providing a segment of small intestinal submucosa and positioning the segment of small intestinal submucosa in a tissue culture frame such that the segment of small intestinal submucosa is suspended and held in a taut position by the tissue culture frame. At least one multipotent cell type is isolated from a tissue specimen of a subject and cultured, and then seeded upon a surface of the segment of small intestinal submucosa, thereby forming a urinary tract tissue graft. Methods for repairing a damaged urinary tract tissue of a subject are also disclosed.