Tissue Graft

Abstract

A method of preparing a tissue graft material is disclosed. The disclosure also relates to a multipurpose tissue graft material and to methods of using same as a replacement for vascular and non-vascular tissue.

1 . A method of preparing a decellularized tissue for implantation comprising:
 contacting a harvested tissue with water or an aqueous hypotonic solution;   contacting the tissue with one or more nuclease enzymes; and   contacting the tissue with a detergent;   wherein said contacting produces the decellularized tissue which comprises a tissue matrix suitable for acting as a scaffold for spontaneous repopulation by host cells in vivo.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising washing the tissue treated with the nuclease and the detergent in a sterile aqueous solution. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more nuclease enzymes comprise an endonuclease. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue comprises a human or animal ureter. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising contacting the tissue with an antimicrobial solution. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the antimicrobial solution comprises vancomycin. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the antimicrobial solution comprises lincomycin. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising contacting the tissue with Tris[hydroxymethyl]aminomethane hydrochloride and a magnesium salt while contacting the tissue with the one or more nuclease enzymes. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising contacting the tissue with a calcium salt while contacting the tissue with the one or more nuclease enzymes. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sterilizing the tissue with gamma radiation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein greater than 95% of all cellular material is removed from the tissue. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detergent comprises Triton X-100. 
     
     
         13 . A method of preparing a decellularized tissue for implantation comprising:
 treating a tissue material by contacting the tissue material with water or an aqueous hypotonic solution, one or more nuclease enzymes, and a detergent; and   washing the treated tissue material in a sterile aqueous solution or solutions to remove the detergent from the tissue material;   wherein the treating and washing produce a decellularized tissue which comprises a tissue matrix suitable for acting as a scaffold for spontaneous repopulation by host cells in vivo.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the nuclease comprises an endonuclease. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the tissue material comprises a human or animal ureter. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising contacting the tissue with an antimicrobial solution. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the antimicrobial solution comprises vancomycin. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the antimicrobial solution comprises lincomycin. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising contacting the tissue with Tris[hydroxymethyl]aminomethane hydrochloride and a magnesium salt while contacting the tissue with the one or more nuclease enzymes. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising contacting the tissue with a calcium salt while contacting the tissue with the one or more nuclease enzymes. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising sterilizing the tissue with gamma radiation. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein greater than 95% of all cellular material is removed from the tissue. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the detergent comprises Triton X-100.