Abstract: A method is disclosed for processing tissue by inoculating the tissue with a solution having microorganisms, where the microorganisms are selected to produce compounds that process the tissue. The tissue is incubated with the inoculated microorganisms under conditions that are effective for processing the tissue by the chemicals produced by the microorganisms. The tissue maybe subsequently treated to substantially remove or inactivate the microorganisms.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for processing tissue by inoculating the tissue with a solution having microorganisms, where the microorganisms are selected to produce compounds that process the tissue. The tissue is incubated with the inoculated microorganisms under conditions that are effective for processing the tissue by the chemicals produced by the microorganisms. The tissue may be subsequently treated to substantially remove or inactivate the microorganisms.

Abstract: A method of making implantable ligament and tendon prostheses from natural collagen-containing tissues is described. The tissues used are those wherein the collagen fibers are aligned in one direction such as in ligaments or tendons. The method comprises disrupting the interfibrillar matrix physically by mechanical means such as a roller or rollers in order to generate an expanded network of fibers that are more easily further treated chemically and which also generate a more favorable substrate for tissue ingrowth after implantation. Prostheses made from separated collagen fiber bundles which retain their natural configuration and length (as opposed to reconstituted collagen), exhibit improved softness and flexibility when compared with prostheses made from conventional chemically fixed (e.g., glutaraldehyde cross-linked) tendons which have not been separated as described herein.