Abstract
Abstract Background: Tissue engineering takes on many approaches. It is mostly followed by those in the field through scientific literature. However, there is a virtually untapped resource in patent literature. Objective: This review focuses on patents through the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This source is used only because the author is most familiar with this resource. This article is not intended to be instructional regarding patents, patent law, or how to apply for patents, nor is it intended to be all inclusive of the patent literature. However, the reader might see the value of following the patent literature as a source of ideas, technologies, methodologies, and knowledge with respect to tissue engineering.
Highlights
This particular patented technology included four distinct technology areas whose use were not anticipated for the tissue engineering of bone tissues or of whole bones when they were initially conceived and patents applied for: 1) the ground demineralized bone matrix (DBM), 2) the hollow fiber based bioreactor, 3) the demineralization of ground bone to produce the DBM, and 4) the induction of cells to differentiate along an osteoprogenitor pathway
It describes the demineralization of bone using acid solutions followed by solubilization of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) by neutral salts such as urea and guanidine [2]
Examples used in this patent describe how such BMPs are examples of practical applications of BMPs when used in bone defects caused by injury, old infection, malignancy, and congenital defects
Summary
The ability to enzymatically digest the hollow fibers from the final bone tissue (or bone) and incorporate angiogenic factors into the channels left by the hollow fibers prior to implantation was further described as an opportunity to promote vascular ingrowth into the bone tissue (or bone) following implantation of the tissue engineered construct This particular patented technology included four distinct technology areas whose use were not anticipated for the tissue engineering of bone tissues or of whole bones when they were initially conceived and patents applied for: 1) the ground demineralized bone matrix (DBM), 2) the hollow fiber based bioreactor, 3) the demineralization of ground bone to produce the DBM, and 4) the induction of cells to differentiate along an osteoprogenitor pathway (see Fig. 1, 2 and 3)
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