Tissue expander

摘要

Provided herein is a tissue stretching device including a tissue clamping member defining an area in a Z plane, wherein the tissue clamping member is configured to hold tissue parallel to the Z plane. Methods of use of the tissue stretching device to stretch a tissue as well as for culturing organized tissues are also provided. Stretched and/or cultured tissues produced by these processes are also provided, as well as methods of treatment making use of the same.

主权项

1. A tissue stretching device comprising:
a tissue clamping member comprising from 14 to 28 clamps and defining an area in a Z plane, wherein said tissue clamping member is configured to hold tissue parallel to said Z plane, wherein said tissue clamping member has four sides along the Z plane and is configured to expand in area along the Z plane; wherein said clamps form a rectangular or square tissue clamping member a displacement sensor operatively associated with said tissue clamping member, said displacement sensor configured to measure a linear displacement along an axis of the Z plane to thereby detect an amount of expansion of the tissue by said tissue clamping member; and a controller operatively associated with said tissue clamping member, wherein said controller operates an actuator connected to said tissue clamping member to thereby stretch said tissue along the Z plane, wherein said clamps are slidably mounted on two pairs of oppositely facing support rods, wherein one of the pairs of oppositely facing support rods is fixed, and the other of the pairs of oppositely facing support rods is operatively connected to a pair of drive assemblies, wherein said actuator comprises a pair of actuators in which the drive assemblies are operably connected to the pair of actuators.