Patent ID: 8501476

Claim:
A method of forming a macrotissue from at least two microtissues comprising the steps of: (a) pre-culturing at least one monodispersion of cells that includes at least one first cell type for at least one first pre-culture time of about one hour to about fourteen days to form at least one first microtissue; (b) separately, pre-culturing at least one additional mono-dispersion of cells that includes at least one additional cell type that is different from the first cell type for at least one additional pre-culture time of about one hour to about fourteen days to form at least one additional microtissue; (c) thereafter, culturing the first and the additional microtissues, together, on a surface of a substrate that is nonadhesive in an area in which tissue fusion is desired so as to effect contact between the microtissues to form a macrotissue; and (d) determining the position of the first and the additional cell types in the macrotissue by varying first and additional pre-culture times of the first and additional microtissues, respectively, to thereby influence the position of the first and additional cell types in the macrotissue.