A drug-eluting self-retaining suture comprises a filament, a plurality of retainers, and a drug impregnated in or coated on the filament. The shape and distribution of retainers modifies the in vivo release kinetics of the drug. The drug release kinetics may be modified uniformly or region by region. The self-retaining suture may for example be used for reattaching severed nerves and release nerve growth factor or other regeneration accelerating agents into the region of the nerve injury.

The present invention relates to a method for providing an embedded mammalian cell, comprising the steps of providing an alginate sulfate in aqueous solution; reacting the alginate sulfate to form a hydrogel in a gelation step, providing a precursor cell, and embedding the precursor cell in the sulfated alginate hydrogel in an embedding step, thus yielding an sulfated alginate hydrogel embedded cell. The invention further relates to sulfated alginate hydrogels, and cellular grafts comprising a mammalian cell embedded in sulfated alginate hydrogel.

The subject invention provides devices and methods for alleviating discomfort associated with neuroma formation. The devices and methods of the invention effectively use the body's natural response of reconstructing implanted biomaterials to minimize the size of isolate, and protect a neuroma. In preferred embodiments, the subject device is a cylindrical cap, wherein the internal chamber of the cylindrical cap physically partitions the nerve to enable an arrangement of nerve fibers (as opposed to haphazardly arranged nerve fibers often produced in neuromas). Tabs arranged on the outside of the cap can be used to manipulate the cap into place on a nerve. The open end can also be configured with flaps that can be used to widen the open end for easier insertion of the nerve into the cap. In addition, the cap's material remodels into a tissue cushion after implantation, which protects the neuroma from being stimulated and inducing pain.

Disclosed is a nano-layered dual hydroxide-biological factor combined system for promoting nerve regeneration to repair a spinal cord injury. The preparation method therefor comprises: 1) synthesizing a nano-layered dual hydroxide CL1; and 2) co-incubating 10 mg CL1 and 200-2000 ng of biological factors NT3, VEGF or bFGF in a low-speed shaker at 4° C. for 2 hours using an ion exchange method, centrifuging same and then obtaining the precipitate. Experiments on transection and resorption spinal cord injury models show that this combined system has a significant recovery effect on the behavior of model mice, can reconstruct the neural circuit of a damaged area over time and achieves an ideal repair effect with regard to a spinal cord injury.

The present invention aims to provide a method for suppressing differentiation of ganglion cell, amacrine cell, horizontal cell and/or bipolar cell in a neural retina tissue containing photoreceptor precursor and/or photoreceptor, and the like. A method for suppressing differentiation of a ganglion cell, an amacrine cell, a horizontal cell and/or a bipolar cell in a neural retinal tissue containing a photoreceptor precursor and/or a photoreceptor, including a step of culturing a retinal tissue comprising a neural retinal progenitor cell and in any stage between a differentiation stage immediately after emergence of a ganglion cell and a differentiation stage where emergence rate of a cone photoreceptor precursor reaches maximum in a medium containing a thyroid gland hormone signal transduction pathway agonist.

In general, the present invention is related to biopolymer and biocomposite materials and structures, and methods of making and using the same. In some embodiments, the present invention is directed to oriented collagen based biocomposite materials and structures, and methods of making.

An implantable hydrogel precursor composition can include: a cross-linkable polymer matrix that is biocompatible; and a plurality of polymer particles in the cross-linkable polymer matrix. The cross-linkable polymer matrix can include a cross-linkable hyaluronic acid polymer that has cross-linkable functional groups. The hyaluronic acid polymer can be a methacrylated hyaluronic acid polymer. The methacrylated hyaluronic acid polymer can have a molecular weight from about 500 kDa to about 1.8 MDa. The polymer particles can include a cross-linked hyaluronic acid. The cross-linkable polymer matrix having the polymer particles has a yield stress. The cross-linkable polymer matrix having the polymer particles has shape retention at physiological temperatures. The composition can include live cells in the cross-linkable polymer matrix. The composition can include a biologically active agent in the cross-linkable polymer matrix.

A nerve regeneration device comprising a bioresorbable conduit and a matrix contained therein having elongate pores aligned with the longitudinal axis of the conduit. The matrix comprises collagen, fibronectin, laminin-1, and laminin-2, wherein the amount, by weight, of laminin-1 or laminin-2 is greater than the amount of fibronectin in the matrix.

Provided herein are compositions, systems, kits, and methods for treating nervous system injuries caused by trauma or neurodegeneration or aging in a subject by administering a CSPG or SOCS3 reduction peptide (CRP and SRP respectively), or a nucleic acid sequence encoding the CRP or SRP, wherein both the CRP and SRP comprise a cell membrane penetrating domain, and a lysosome targeting domain, and the CRP further comprises a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG) binding domain, and the SRP further comprises a suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 (SOCS3) binding domain.

The present invention relates to preparation and use of nanocellulose fibrils or crystals such as disintegrated bacterial nanocellulose, tunicate-derived nanocellulose, or plant-derived nanocellulose, together with carbon nanotubes, as a biocompatible and conductive ink for 3D printing of electrically conductive patterns. Biocompatible conductive bioinks described in this invention were printed in the form of connected lines onto wet or dried nanocellulose films, bacterial cellulose membrane, or tunicate decellularized tissue. The devices were biocompatible and showed excellent mechanical properties and good electrical conductivity through printed lines (3.8.Math.10.sup.−1 S cm.sup.−1). Such scaffolds were used to culture neural cells. Neural cells attached selectively on the printed pattern and formed connective networks. The devices prepared by this invention are suited as bioassays to screen drugs against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, study brain function, and/or be used to link the human brain with electronic and/or communication devices. They can also be implanted to replace neural tissue or stimulate guiding of neural cells. They can also be used to stimulate the heart by using electrical signaling or to repair myocardial infarction and/or damage related thereto.