摘要:
Polymeric materials are used,to make a pliable, non-toxic, injectable porous template for vascular ingrowth. The pore size, usually between approximately 100 and 300 microns, allows vascular and connective tissue ingrowth throughout approximately 10 to 90% of the matrix following implantation, and the injection of cells uniformly throughout the implanted matrix without damage to the cells or patient. The introduced cells attach to the connective tissue within the matrix and are fed by the blood vessels. The preferred material for forming the matrix or support structure is a biocompatible synthetic polymer which degrades in a controlled manner by hydrolysis into harmless metabolites, for example, polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, polyorthoester, polyanhydride, or copolymers thereof. The rate of tissue ingrowth increases as the porosity and/or the pore size of the implanted devices increases. The time required for the tissue to fill the device depends on the polymer crystallinity and is less for amorphous polymers versus semicrystalline polymers. The vascularity of the advancing tissue is consistent with time and independent of the biomaterial composition and morphology.
摘要:
Improved methods for the production of tissue-engineered constructs, including muscular tissue constructs such as vascular constructs, are disclosed. The methods include the use of improved substrates for cell growth, improved cell culture media for cell growth, and the use of distensible bodies to impart pulsatile stretching force to lumens of constructs during growth. Also disclosed are improved products and methods for making those products, including substrates and cell culture media, for tissue engineering and tissue culture generally. Improved muscular tissue constructs, including vascular constructs, are also disclosed, which may be used in medicine for the repair or replacement of damaged natural structures. In an embodiment, a muscular, tubular tissue-engineered construct is prepared having a wall of mammalian smooth muscle cells oriented circumferentially about a lumen of the construct at a cell density of at least 107 cells/cc.
摘要:
Improved aerodynamically light particles for drug delivery to the pulmonary system, and methods for their synthesis and administration are provided. In a preferred embodiment, the aerodynamically light particles are made of biodegradable material and have a tap density of less than 0.4 g/cm3 and a mass mean diameter between 5 &mgr;m and 30 &mgr;m. The particles may be formed of biodegradable materials such as biodegradable polymers. For example, the particles may be formed of a functionalized polyester graft copolymer consisting of a linear &agr;-hydroxy-acid polyester backbone having at least one amino acid group incorporated therein and at least one poly(amino acid) side chain extending from an amino acid group in the polyester backbone. In one embodiment, aerodynamically light particles having a large mean diameter, for example greater than 5 &mgr;m, can be used for enhanced delivery of a therapeutic agent to the alveolar region of the lung. The aerodynamically light particles incorporating a therapeutic agent may be effectively aerosolized for administration to the respiratory tract to permit systemic or local delivery of wide variety of therapeutic agents.
摘要:
Combinations of naturally occurring site 1 sodium channel blockers, such as tetrodotoxin (TTX), saxitoxin (STX), decarbamoyl saxitoxin, and neosaxitoxin (referred to jointly herein as “toxins”), with other agents, have been developed to give long duration block with improved features, including safety and specificity. In one embodiment, duration of block is greatly prolonged by combining a toxin with a local anesthetic, vasoconstrictor, glucocorticoid, and/or adrenergic drugs, both alpha agonists (epinephrine, phenylephrine), beta-blockers (propranalol), and mixed central-peripheral alpha-2 agonists (clonidine), or other agents. In another embodiment, the duration of nerve block from toxin can be greatly enhanced by the inclusion of amphiphilic or lipophilic solvents. In still another embodiment, the effectiveness of these compositions is enhanced by microencapsulation within polymeric carriers, preferably biodegradable synthetic polymeric carriers. Modality specific nerve block can be obtained using combinations of toxin with vanilloids.
摘要:
Hydroxamic acid polymers which are comprised of hydroxamic groups and carboxylic acid groups wherein the carboxylic acid groups constitute less than about 3% of the functional groups. The polymers hereof are also especially useful in biomedical applications because, for example, the low concentration of carboxylic acid groups decreases the incidence of bioincompatibility. Additionally, the polymers exhibit anticoagulant activity, urease inhibition activity, metal chelating activity and ion exchange activity.
摘要:
The present invention includes processes and resulting structures for producing a modified polymer having interconnecting channels. The interconnecting channels act as controlled transmission passages through the polymer. A hydrophilic agent is blended into the polymer so that it is distributed within the polymer. In one embodiment, a water-absorbing material is blended into the polymer so that the water-absorbing material is distributed within the product. The product is solidified so that the hydrophilic agent forms passages in the product through which a desired composition is communicable to the water-absorbing material that is entrained within the product. The solidified product may be used to form a desired shaped article such as plug type inserts and liners for closed containers, or it may be formed into a film, sheet, bead or pellet.
摘要:
The present invention relates to targeted polymerized liposomes for oral and/or mucosal delivery of vaccines, allergens and therapeutics. In particular, the present invention relates to polymerized liposomes which have been modified on their surface to contain a molecule or ligand which targets the polymerized liposome to a specific site or cell type. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of polymerized liposomes modified to contain a carbohydrate or lectin on their surface.
摘要:
Particles are provided that are not rapidly cleared from the blood stream by the macrophages of the reticuloendothelial system, and that can be modified to achieve variable release rates or to target specific cells or organs. The particles have a core of a multiblock copolymer formed by covalently linking a multifunctional compound with one or more hydrophobic polymers and one or more hydrophilic polymers, and contain a biologically active material. The terminal hydroxyl group of the poly(alkylene glycol) can be used to covalently attach onto the surface of the particles biologically active molecules, including antibodies targeted to specific cells or organs, or molecules affecting the charge, lipophilicity or hydrophilicity of the particle. The surface of the particle can also be modified by attaching biodegradable polymers of the same structure as those forming the core of the particles. The typical size of the particles is between 180 nm and 10,000 nm, preferably between 180 nm and 240 nm, although microparticles can also be formed as described herein. The particles can include magnetic particles or radiopaque materials for diagnostic imaging, biologically active molecules to be delivered to a site, or compounds for targeting the particles. The particles have a prolonged half-life in the blood compared to particles not containing poly(alkylene glycol) moieties on the surface.
摘要:
Compositions and methods for delivering agents across cell membranes are disclosed. The compositions include an agent to be delivered, a viscous material, such as a hydrogel, lipogel or viscous sol, and, optionally, a carrier that includes a ligand that binds to or interacts with cell surface receptors. The agent to be delivered binds to or otherwise interacts with cell surface receptors, is attached, either covalently or ionically to a molecule that binds to or interacts with a cell surface receptor, or is associated with the carrier. Agents to be delivered include bioactive compounds and diagnostic agents. The compositions have an apparent viscosity roughly equal to the viscosity of the cytosol in the cell to which the agent is to be delivered. The rate of cellular internalization is higher when the viscosity of the viscous material and that of the cytosol in the cell are approximately the same, relative to when they are not the same. The compositions enhance cellular entry of bioactive agents and diagnostic materials when administered vaginally, nasally, rectally ocularly, orally, or to the respiratory or pulmonary system.
摘要:
A method for preparation of multi-layer polymeric microspheres formed from any degradable or non-degradable polymers which are not soluble in each other at a particular concentration, but which have a positive spreading coefficient in solution. The multi-layer microspheres produced by the method are distinguished by extremely uniform dimensioned layers of polymer and actual incorporation of the substance to be delivered into the polymer layers. In the preferred embodiment of the method, two polymers are dissolved in a volatile organic solvent, the substance to be incorporated is dispersed or dissolved in the polymer solution, the mixture is suspended in an aqueous solution and stirred, and the solvent is slowly evaporated, creating microspheres with an inner core formed by one polymer and an outer layer formed by the second polymer. In another embodiment, solvent is removed by spray drying. In still another embodiment, polymers are melted and combined with the substance to be incorporated, then cooled to form layered microspheres.