Scaffolds fabricated from electrospun decellularized extracellular matrix

Abstract

A scaffold comprising electrospun decellularized ECM of an organ, wherein the decellularized ECM has a similar protein composition to native ECM of the organ, Methods of generating same are also disclosed as well as uses of same.

1 . A method of generating a scaffold comprising:
 (a) homogenizing decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM) in an organic solvent to generate a homogenate of decellularized ECM;   (b) electrospinning said homogenate onto a solid surface thereby generating the scaffold.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising decellularizing a tissue of a subject prior to generate said decellularized ECM prior to step (a). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising contacting said solution of decellularized ECM with a polymer so as to increase the viscoelasticity of said solution following step (a) and prior to step (b). 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising filtering said homogenate of decellularized ECM prior to said electro spinning. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetone, N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), diethylformamide, chloroform, methylethylketone, acetic acid, formic acid, ethanol, 1,1,1,3,3,3 -hexa fluoro-2-propanol (HFIP), tetrafluoroethanol, dichloromethane (DCM), tetrahydrofuran (THF), trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), camphorsulfonic acid, dimethyl acetamide, isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said organic solvent is HFIP. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said polymer is a biocompatible polymer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said polymer is a hydrophilic polymer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said polymer is a synthetic polymer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said synthetic polymer is selected from the group consisting of poly(D,L-lactide) (PLA), poly(urethanes), poly(siloxanes), poly(silicones), poly(ethylene), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate), poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), poly(acrylic acid), poly(vinyl acetate), polyacrylamide, poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate), poly(ethylene glycol), poly(methacrylic acid), polyglycolic acids (PGA), poly(lactide-co-glycolides) (PLGA), nylons, polyamides, polyanhydrides, poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EVOH), polycaprolactone, poly(vinyl acetate), polyvinylhydroxide, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), polyorthoesters and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said synthetic polymer is PEO. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the amount of said PEO in said solution is between 0.05-1% mass. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said decellularized ECM is derived from an organ selected from the group consisting of heart and pancreas. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said decellularized ECM is derived from porcine tissue. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removing said polymer following said electrospinning. 
     
     
         18 . A scaffold generated according to the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         19 . A scaffold comprising electrospun decellularized ECM of an organ, wherein said decellularized ECM has a similar protein composition to native ECM of said organ. 
     
     
         20 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The scaffold of  claim 19 , wherein said organ is a heart or a pancreas. 
     
     
         23 . The scaffold of  claim 9 , wherein said organ is a human organ or a porcine organ. 
     
     
         24 . The scaffold of  claim 19 , wherein said decellularized ECM comprises collagen type I and collagen type III. 
     
     
         25 . The scaffold of  claim 19 , wherein said decellularized ECM is devoid of collagen type VI. 
     
     
         26 . The scaffold of  claim 19 , wherein the diameter of fibers of the scaffold are between 100-2000 nm. 
     
     
         27 . The scaffold of  claim 19 , wherein the diameter of fibers of the scaffold are between 300 to 1500 nm. 
     
     
         28 . The scaffold of  claim 19 , wherein, when hydrated, the fibers of the scaffold have a similar organization to native ECM of said organ. 
     
     
         29 . The scaffold of  claim 19 , being devoid of a synthetic polymer. 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A method of treating a medical condition which may benefit from cell transplantation in a subject in need thereof, comprising transplanting the scaffold of  claim 19  into the subject, thereby treating the medical condition. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the scaffold has been pre-seeded with cells. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the medical condition is a cardiac disease. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the medical condition is Diabetes. 
     
     
         35 . (canceled)