LifeNet Health

A method for preparing enriched cells is provided. The cells may be from a single donor or from two or more donors. The method includes removing dying or dead cells from primary cells from the donor(s) by a density gradient separation to generate separated cells; cryopreserving the separated cells to generate cryopreserved separated cells; thawing the cryopreserved separated cells to generate thawed separated cells; and removing dying or dead cells from the thawed separated cells by subsequent density gradient separation(s). The primary cells from two or more donors may be combined before or after the first density gradient separation to provide pooled enriched cells. The enriched cells may have a viability rate greater than the primary cells from the donor(s). Also provided is a product including the enriched cells (which may be pooled enriched cells) and methods for using the enriched cells or the product including the enriched cells.

Described herein are methods for preserving biomaterials by vitrification while reducing or preventing the loss of viability associated with conventional preservation methods. Also described herein are cassettes and methods for using these cassettes for cryopreserving biomaterials (e.g., a bioengineered construct or natural tissue sample).

An improved packaging assembly for storing, distributing, treating, mixing, and dispensing tissue and/or cellular material and/or implantable material. The packaging assembly may include pouches, tubes, and a bag made of a sealable, flexible polymeric material that is open at one end and a needle-free swabable connector attached to the pouch at the other end and acting as a port to allow for the introduction or discharge of biological solutions, rinsing solution, and/or preservation solutions into the packaging assembly. The designed thickness of the wall of the packaging assembly facilitates efficient heat/cold transfer, which is useful for successful controlled rate freezing, quick thawing, and resuscitation of viable cells or tissue. The packaging assembly is also useful for combining additional biological fluids with the cellular material or tissue, and for efficient mixing of the biological fluids with the tissue and/or cellular material in the assembly.

The invention relates to medical implants, including spinal implants and bone grafts, for fixation and integration with hard tissue. The bone medical implants include at least one rotational fixation mechanism that further includes or is attached to one or more sharp protrusions configured to penetrate and become lodged into hard tissue to provide support and positional stability. Such support is useful to ensure that the spinal bone graft may be used without additional stabilizing or anchoring structures, such as supporting plates or screws.

Disclosed herein are dynamic multi-organ plates comprising two or more wells, wherein the wells are configured for cell or tissue culture growth; at least one transwell tube in fluid communication with the two or more wells; and a pump in fluid communication with the at least one transwell tube.

The present invention provides a product comprising plated human hepatocytes on a surface and at least some of the plated hepatocytes are in one or more hepatocyte clusters on feeder cells, which are attached to the surface. A method of preparing plated human hepatocytes is also provided. The preparation method comprises applying human hepatocytes to a surface in the presence of feeder cells, co-culturing the applied hepatocytes with the feeder cells, and forming one or more hepatocyte clusters by the co-cultured hepatocytes on the feeder cells, which are attached to the surface. The plated hepatocytes may be used for various purposes, including the preparation of a hepatitis B virus (HBV) infected hepatocyte culture model and drug testing.

A scaffold comprising an aligned fiber. Further, a scaffold comprising one or more electrospun fibers wherein a fast Fourier transform (FFT) analysis result of the fibers have adjacent major peaks with about 180° apart from each other. Also, methods for promoting differentiation of stem cells into osteoblasts, chondrocytes, ligament or tendon, the method comprising culturing the cells on the scaffold or aligned fiber in conditions suitable for the cell differentiation.

Soft tissue supports, soft tissue implants, and methods of making and using soft tissue supports are disclosed. One soft tissue support includes a unitary piece of processed porous tissue material having an anterior portion and a posterior portion. The anterior and posterior portions define a cavity therebetween. The cavity is sized to receive a breast implant therein. The cavity has at least one opening sized to receive the breast implant therethrough. One soft tissue implant includes the soft tissue support and a breast implant positioned within the cavity of the soft tissue support. The implant may further include a soft tissue graft configured to support the processed porous tissue material and the breast implant. A method of using a soft tissue support includes inserting a breast implant into the soft tissue support, and implanting the soft tissue support containing the breast implant in the cavity.

The present invention provides a birth tissue derived implant for treating a subject. The birth tissue derived implant comprises a birth tissue and an agent exogenous to the birth tissue. The birth tissue is isolated from an amniotic sac, an umbilical cord or a placental plate. A method is also provided for repairing a defective tissue in a subject. The repair method comprises delivering the birth tissue derived implant to a surface of the defective tissue in the subject. The defective tissue may be an ocular membrane, a synovium, tendon, ligament, nerve, a cartilage or a bone. A method is further provided for preparing the birth tissue derived implant. The preparation method may comprise devitalizing or decellularizing a birth tissue from an amniotic sac, an umbilical cord or a placental plate, and adding an agent to the devitalized or decellularized birth tissue.