Encapsulated kidney tissue

Abstract

Provided are therapeutic implants comprising renal tissue encapsulated within a polymer bead. Also disclosed are methods for treating a disease state in a subject comprising implanting within said subject a therapeutic implant comprising renal tissue encapsulated within a polymer bead. Also provided are methods for making a therapeutic implant comprising: providing renal tissue; mixing the renal tissue with a solution comprising a polymer, thereby forming a tissue-polymer suspension; extruding the tissue-polymer suspension into an bead-forming solution, thereby forming a therapeutic implant comprising beads of said polymer within which the renal tissue is encapsulated.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for treating a disease state in a subject comprising implanting within said subject a therapeutic implant comprising whole fragments of renal tissue encapsulated within a polymer bead. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said disease state is anemia, stroke, cardiovascular disease, or renal disease. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said renal tissue is autologous tissue, allogeneic tissue, xenogeneic tissue, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said renal tissue comprises genetically-altered cells. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein fragments of whole renal tissue have a size of less than about 1 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein fragments of whole renal tissue have a size of less than about 300 μm. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said therapeutic implant comprises at least about 30 mg of renal tissue. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said polymer bead comprises alginate, hyaluronic acid, carboxymethylcellulose, polyethylene glycol, dextran, agarose, poly-L-lysine, carageenan, pectin, tragacanth gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, type I collagen, laminin, fibronectin, fibrin, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said polymer bead comprises alginate and poly-L-lysine. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said polymer bead has a diameter of about 3 mm to about 6 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said tissue secretes one or more hormones, prohormones, proteins, growth factors, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said tissue secretes one or more of erythropoietin, MCP-1, adiponectin, leptin, and MMP-2. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said fragments of whole renal tissue are excised and minced. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said fragments are encapsulated with a growth medium. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said polymer bead is permeable to substances secreted by said fragments of whole renal tissue.