BIOENGINEERED VOCAL FOLD MUCOSA FOR FUNCTIONAL VOICE RESTORATION

摘要

An engineered vocal fold mucosa, including an engineered lamina propria layer and an engineered squamous epithelium layer, is disclosed. The engineered lamina propria is made by seeding and culturing human vocal fold fibroblasts within a polymerized collagen scaffold, and the engineered squamous epithelium is made by culturing human vocal fold epithelial cells on the scaffold surface. The resulting engineered vocal fold mucosa is not immunogenic, and is capable of exhibiting the vibratory function and acoustic output of a native vocal fold mucosa. Accordingly, the engineered vocal fold mucosa may be implanted into the larynx to treat voice impairment.

主权项

1. An engineered vocal fold mucosa comprising:
(a) an engineered non-vascularized lamina propria comprising a scaffold comprising polymerized collagen populated by a plurality of human vocal fold fibroblasts (VFFs); and (b) an engineered stratified squamous epithelium in contact with the engineered non-vascularized lamina propria comprising a plurality of human vocal fold epithelial cells (VFEs); wherein the engineered vocal fold mucosa is capable of exhibiting the vibratory function and acoustic output of a native vocal fold mucosa.