Pegylated fibrinogen-based biomatrix

Abstract

The invention involves methods and materials related to fibrin-based biomatrices.

1 . A method for repairing damaged tissue in a mammal, said method comprising introducing, on or into a tissue in need of repair, a PEGylated fibrinogen solution comprising stem or progenitor cells under conditions wherein a fibrin biomatrix comprising said cells forms at or near the site of introduction. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said tissue is skin. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said tissue is cardiac tissue. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said stem or progenitor cells are bone marrow cells. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said bone marrow cells are autologous to said mammal. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein fibrinogen in said PEGylated fibrinogen solution is autologous to said mammal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said conditions comprise introducing a solution comprising a fibrinogen-converting agent to said PEGylated fibrinogen solution. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said fibrinogen-converting agent is a serine protease. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said serine protease is thrombin. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said thrombin is autologous to said mammal. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said fibrinogen-converting agent is added to said PEGylated fibrinogen solution before said introduction. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said fibrinogen-converting agent is added to said PEGylated fibrinogen solution after said introduction. 
     
     
         13 . A method of assisting tissue function in a mammal in need thereof comprising introducing, on or into a tissue, a PEGylated fibrinogen solution comprising stem or progenitor cells under conditions wherein a fibrin biomatrix comprising said cells forms at or near the site of introduction, and wherein said cells assist said tissue function of said mammal. 
     
     
         14 . A method of delivering stem or progenitor cells to a tissue of a mammal comprising injecting, onto or in the vicinity of a surface of said tissue of said mammal, a PEGylated fibrinogen solution comprising said cells. 
     
     
         15 . A method for inducing stem or progenitor cells to differentiate comprising:
 a) providing said cells in a fibrinogen solution; and   b) introducing said PEGylated fibrinogen solution onto a tissue of a mammal under conditions wherein a fibrin biomatrix comprising said cells forms at or near the site of introduction and said cells differentiate.   
     
     
         16 . An article of manufacture, comprising
 a PEGylated fibrinogen solution;   a thrombin solution; and   instructions for forming a fibrin biomatrix.   
     
     
         17 . The article of manufacture of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 instructions for collecting stem or progenitor cells from a mammal.   
     
     
         18 . The article of manufacture of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a therapeutic compound.   
     
     
         19 . The article of manufacture of  claim 18 , wherein said therapeutic compound is a drug.