Methods of manufacturing cartilage products

Abstract

This invention provides porated cartilage products and methods of producing porated cartilage products. Optionally, the cartilage products are sized, porated, and digested to provide a flexible cartilage product. Optionally, the cartilage products comprise viable chondrocytes, bioactive factors such as chondrogenic factors, and a collagen type II matrix. Optionally, the cartilage products are non-immunogenic.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of producing a cartilage product comprising:
 a. providing a cartilage sample; and   b. porating the cartilage sample.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cartilage sample comprises type II collagen, optionally wherein the sample comprises hyaline cartilage. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the cartilage sample has a thickness of about 0.3 mm to about 2.0 mm, optionally wherein said thickness is about 1.0 mm to about 1.5 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the hyaline cartilage is selected from:
 articular cartilage, condoyle cartilage, femur condoyle cartilage, and tibial plateau cartilage.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the cartilage sample is devoid of subchondral bone, optionally wherein the cartilage product is devoid of a calcified cartilage layer. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein providing the cartilage sample comprises isolating the cartilage sample from subchondral bone. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein providing the cartilage sample comprises:
 a. isolating a sample comprising articular cartilage and subchondral bone; and   b. removing the subchondral bone from the articular cartilage; and   c. optionally, removing calcified cartilage from the articular cartilage.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cartilage sample comprises a radial layer, a transitional layer, and a tangential layer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the poration provides pores extending through:
 a. the radial layer;   b. the transitional layer;   c. the tangential layer;   d. a and b; or   e. a, b, and c.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the poration provides pores that are substantially perpendicular to said layers. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cartilage sample comprises a layer of cartilage selected from: a radial layer, a transitional layer, and a tangential layer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the poration provides pores that are substantially perpendicular to said layer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cartilage sample has a thickness of less than about 3 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the wherein the cartilage sample has a thickness of about 0.5mm to about 2 mm or about 1 mm to about 1.5 mm. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein porating the cartilage sample at about 10 to about 100 or about 20 to about 60 pores per cm 2 . 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  or  claim 15 , wherein porating the cartilage sample comprises providing a plurality of pores having a diameter selected from: about 0.3 mm to about 2 mm, about 0.5 mm to about 1.5 mm, about 0.8 mm to about 1.2 mm, or about 1 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the pores pass through the majority of the thickness of the cartilage sample thickness. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the pores pass through the entire thickness of the cartilage sample. 
     
     
         19 . The method of any of  claims 15 - 18 , wherein porating comprise mechanically removing cartilage from the cartilage sample. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of partially digesting the cartilage sample.